M2020 // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $51,500
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Santa Fe
For many, a two-year associate degree can be the ticket to higher earning power at an affordable price. Though some types of associate degrees can be a stepping stone to a bachelor's, others are geared toward middle-skilled careers that require specialized knowledge, such as criminal justice, cybersecurity, hospitality management, and more.
Across all fields of study, someone with a two-year degree can earn a median annual salary of $49,500 as of May 2024, around 18% more than that of a high school graduate. By comparison, bachelor's degree holders can earn a median salary of $66,600 but have to invest much more time—and money—into their degree.
According to March 2025 data from the Education Data Initiative, the total cost for a degree from a two-year in-district public college averages about $35,000, compared to nearly $109,000 for a bachelor's degree. And lower costs mean fewer student loans. Just 2 in 5 associate degree recipients took on student loan debt in the 2019-2020 school year (the most recent year with available data), compared to 64% of bachelor's degree students. The two-year degree holders who did use loans borrowed less money, incurring lower interest payments.
Despite the benefits of earning a two-year degree, the number of these credentials produced across the United States is lagging. A September 2024 study from Georgetown University forecasts a nationwide shortage of nearly 361,000 credentials to fill middle-skilled jobs through 2032. However, this could be good news for anyone holding one of these versatile degrees, since the number of available jobs may soon outnumber the employees qualified to work them.
In the meantime, Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Santa Fe for people with a two-year associate degree. The analysis also included jobs that listed a high school diploma, some college but no degree, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $51,910
- Median hourly wage: $24.96
- Total employment: 140 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 640 people (10.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of personal service workers
- Median annual wage: $52,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.02
- Total employment: 90 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $53,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,590
- Median hourly wage: $25.76
- Total employment: 80 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,640
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 30 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $54,670
- Median hourly wage: $26.29
- Total employment: 190 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $55,480
- Median hourly wage: $26.67
- Total employment: 170 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 240 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $57,570
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 190 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 150 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $58,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
- Median annual wage: $58,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $60,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.99
- Total employment: 70 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $60,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 140 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $61,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Total employment: 210 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 70 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 70 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $61,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.69
- Total employment: 220 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $63,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 210 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $63,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $64,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 150 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 140 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 120 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $65,850
- Median hourly wage: $31.66
- Total employment: 710 people (11.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,290
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,690
- Median hourly wage: $32.55
- Total employment: 190 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $67,710
- Median hourly wage: $32.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $67,830
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 60 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $69,760
- Median hourly wage: $33.54
- Total employment: 160 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $72,090
- Median hourly wage: $34.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,160
- Median hourly wage: $34.69
- Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.04
- Total employment: 630 people (10.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $75,220
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 70 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $75,520
- Median hourly wage: $36.31
- Total employment: 350 people (5.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $75,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.31
- Total employment: 350 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $81,000
- Median hourly wage: $38.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $81,960
- Median hourly wage: $39.40
- Total employment: 80 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $83,550
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $97,090
- Median hourly wage: $46.68
- Total employment: 140 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $102,590
- Median hourly wage: $49.32
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $110,000
- Median hourly wage: $52.89
- Total employment: 100 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 363 metros.
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