Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Longview, Texas

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 Longview 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.

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 1,280 people (10.86 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: $57,570
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 430 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,010
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 840 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $58,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.01
- Total employment: 870 people (7.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $58,600
- Median hourly wage: $28.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Paralegals and legal assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 200 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 80 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $59,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 890 people (7.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: Not available

SatawatK // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 140 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 200 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 140 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $60,200
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 320 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 140 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.11
- Total employment: 460 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $61,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $62,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 1,230 people (10.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $62,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,580
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 860 people (7.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 90 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 530 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $65,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $66,270
- Median hourly wage: $31.86
- Total employment: Not available

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29 / 50

#22. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,970
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,490
- Median hourly wage: $32.93
- Total employment: 190 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $71,840
- Median hourly wage: $34.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $73,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $73,540
- Median hourly wage: $35.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,860
- Median hourly wage: $35.51
- Total employment: 760 people (6.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 190 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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38 / 50

#13. Calibration technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.17
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $75,410
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 90 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $76,490
- Median hourly wage: $36.77
- Total employment: 80 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $77,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $78,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: Not available

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $80,610
- Median hourly wage: $38.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $83,420
- Median hourly wage: $40.11
- Total employment: 130 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $83,610
- Median hourly wage: $40.20
- Total employment: 210 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $103,060
- Median hourly wage: $49.55
- Total employment: 110 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $103,250
- Median hourly wage: $49.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $104,680
- Median hourly wage: $50.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.92 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.