Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,250
- Median hourly wage: $23.20
- Total employment: 110 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Mansfield
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 Mansfield 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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GolF2532 // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,580
- Median hourly wage: $23.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $48,600
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 230 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $48,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 170 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall
- Median annual wage: $48,980
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $49,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $49,130
- Median hourly wage: $23.62
- Total employment: 90 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
- Median annual wage: $49,460
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 60 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $49,710
- Median hourly wage: $23.90
- Total employment: 150 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $50,730
- Median hourly wage: $24.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Public safety telecommunicators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $50,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.41
- Total employment: 60 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $50,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.41
- Total employment: 160 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $51,190
- Median hourly wage: $24.61
- Total employment: 710 people (14.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $53,760
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 750 people (15.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $55,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,820
- Median hourly wage: $26.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $55,970
- Median hourly wage: $26.91
- Total employment: 290 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 100 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,100
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 360 people (7.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $58,100
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 110 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $58,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 190 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $59,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 130 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $59,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 110 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 180 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 210 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $60,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 160 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $60,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 170 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Total employment: 110 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,070
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 60 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $65,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 410 people (8.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $66,670
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 210 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 230 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,840
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 440 people (8.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $73,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.38
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $74,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 180 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $76,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 100 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $76,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $79,840
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 80 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $83,090
- Median hourly wage: $39.95
- Total employment: 70 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $85,860
- Median hourly wage: $41.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $91,910
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.13 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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