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1 / 50#50. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $42,620
- Median hourly wage: $20.49
- Total employment: 180 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Laredo
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 Laredo 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. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $42,880
- Median hourly wage: $20.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $43,190
- Median hourly wage: $20.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $43,440
- Median hourly wage: $20.88
- Total employment: 270 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $43,950
- Median hourly wage: $21.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#44. Health technologists and technicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $44,150
- Median hourly wage: $21.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Automotive body and related repairers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $44,150
- Median hourly wage: $21.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,890
- Median hourly wage: $21.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $45,100
- Median hourly wage: $21.68
- Total employment: 70 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $45,320
- Median hourly wage: $21.79
- Total employment: 330 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $45,470
- Median hourly wage: $21.86
- Total employment: 160 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $45,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.08
- Total employment: 100 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $46,130
- Median hourly wage: $22.18
- Total employment: 90 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $46,150
- Median hourly wage: $22.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $46,180
- Median hourly wage: $22.20
- Total employment: 750 people (7.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $46,340
- Median hourly wage: $22.28
- Total employment: 150 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $46,580
- Median hourly wage: $22.40
- Total employment: 680 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $46,620
- Median hourly wage: $22.41
- Total employment: 560 people (5.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $46,640
- Median hourly wage: $22.42
- Total employment: 130 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $47,210
- Median hourly wage: $22.70
- Total employment: 170 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $47,730
- Median hourly wage: $22.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $48,630
- Median hourly wage: $23.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $48,770
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 120 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $49,750
- Median hourly wage: $23.92
- Total employment: 4,920 people (46.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $50,120
- Median hourly wage: $24.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $50,590
- Median hourly wage: $24.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $50,970
- Median hourly wage: $24.50
- Total employment: 1,070 people (10.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $53,350
- Median hourly wage: $25.65
- Total employment: 400 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $53,440
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 140 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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30 / 50#21. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $54,790
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 290 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $55,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.49
- Total employment: 410 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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32 / 50#19. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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33 / 50#18. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $55,660
- Median hourly wage: $26.76
- Total employment: 190 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 110 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $56,460
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 150 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 1,700 people (16.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $58,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 410 people (3.88 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: $58,600
- Median hourly wage: $28.17
- Total employment: 150 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 450 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 270 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 100 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $69,230
- Median hourly wage: $33.28
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,680
- Median hourly wage: $34.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $74,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 80 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 70 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $79,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.27
- Total employment: 640 people (5.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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48 / 50#3. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $80,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.84
- Total employment: 770 people (7.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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49 / 50#2. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $96,320
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 1,320 people (12.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $110,640
- Median hourly wage: $53.19
- Total employment: 80 people (0.77 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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