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

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 Killeen 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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Shift Drive // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $54,620
- Median hourly wage: $26.26
- Total employment: 420 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $54,800
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $55,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 90 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 110 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $56,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 230 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 230 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $57,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.50
- Total employment: 320 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $57,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 160 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.74
- Total employment: 1,440 people (9.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $58,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 640 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 130 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 90 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 140 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Airfield operations specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 320 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 100 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 530 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 590 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lighthunter // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $60,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.97
- Total employment: 70 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 620 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#28. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 670 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Surgical technologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 180 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $60,940
- Median hourly wage: $29.30
- Total employment: 1,280 people (8.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $61,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,450
- Median hourly wage: $29.54
- Total employment: 220 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 270 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 630 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,260
- Median hourly wage: $31.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $71,830
- Median hourly wage: $34.54
- Total employment: 190 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $73,600
- Median hourly wage: $35.39
- Total employment: 190 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 380 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 180 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 100 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: 100 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 190 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 250 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $77,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 880 people (5.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 80 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $83,320
- Median hourly wage: $40.06
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $85,620
- Median hourly wage: $41.16
- Total employment: 120 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $91,470
- Median hourly wage: $43.98
- Total employment: 180 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $94,030
- Median hourly wage: $45.21
- Total employment: 200 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,420
- Median hourly wage: $48.28
- Total employment: 100 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $133,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 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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