Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Knoxville

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 Knoxville 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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1 / 50

#50. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 140 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $60,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 1,860 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 230 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $61,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

photodiem // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

- Median annual wage: $62,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 2,530 people (6.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Media and communication workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $62,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 430 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $63,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 6,340 people (15.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lighthunter // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $63,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

#40. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $63,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 160 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 720 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $63,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.65
- Total employment: 300 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,890
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 380 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 160 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 630 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $64,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $64,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $65,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 2,580 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 290 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $65,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 560 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $66,890
- Median hourly wage: $32.16
- Total employment: 230 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $67,090
- Median hourly wage: $32.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 270 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $70,270
- Median hourly wage: $33.79
- Total employment: 250 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $70,570
- Median hourly wage: $33.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $71,050
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Total employment: 130 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $71,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.42
- Total employment: 1,730 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $71,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $71,790
- Median hourly wage: $34.52
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

branislavpudar // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Hazardous materials removal workers

- Median annual wage: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $75,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $75,600
- Median hourly wage: $36.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 230 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $76,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $77,180
- Median hourly wage: $37.10
- Total employment: 620 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $77,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $79,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.98
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $79,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.14
- Total employment: 250 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $80,200
- Median hourly wage: $38.56
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $80,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.86
- Total employment: 570 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $82,280
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 680 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photostriker // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $82,680
- Median hourly wage: $39.75
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $88,350
- Median hourly wage: $42.47
- Total employment: 510 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $88,990
- Median hourly wage: $42.78
- Total employment: 320 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $92,740
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $96,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $98,220
- Median hourly wage: $47.22
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $167,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.26 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.