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1 / 50#50. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $58,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.01
- Total employment: 160 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Glens Falls
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 Glens Falls 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. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 150 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $58,860
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $59,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 320 people (6.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $59,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 80 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 150 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $59,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 110 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
RossHelen // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 350 people (7.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 110 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $60,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 180 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.11
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 70 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $60,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 100 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $61,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $61,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 240 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $62,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#29. Chefs and head cooks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 80 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food service managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 70 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 90 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $63,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: 380 people (7.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $64,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 170 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $64,230
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 420 people (8.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $65,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $66,360
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 110 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bigflick // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $66,610
- Median hourly wage: $32.03
- Total employment: 830 people (16.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $69,930
- Median hourly wage: $33.62
- Total employment: 230 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $70,090
- Median hourly wage: $33.70
- Total employment: 200 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $71,120
- Median hourly wage: $34.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $71,920
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 190 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $73,650
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 240 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $76,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 220 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 290 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,950
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 70 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,680
- Median hourly wage: $38.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.05
- Total employment: 90 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $81,980
- Median hourly wage: $39.41
- Total employment: 80 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $82,930
- Median hourly wage: $39.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $85,590
- Median hourly wage: $41.15
- Total employment: 90 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $94,120
- Median hourly wage: $45.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $96,610
- Median hourly wage: $46.45
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,120
- Median hourly wage: $48.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $121,740
- Median hourly wage: $58.53
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 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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