Halfpoint // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $47,430
- Median hourly wage: $22.80
- Total employment: 210 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in McAllen
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 McAllen 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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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $47,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.99
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $47,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.03
- Total employment: 610 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kawin Ounprasertsuk // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Locksmiths and safe repairers
- Median annual wage: $48,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedomz // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,160
- Median hourly wage: $23.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $48,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 320 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $48,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.41
- Total employment: 1,200 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $49,550
- Median hourly wage: $23.82
- Total employment: 140 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $50,020
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 2,070 people (7.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $50,160
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $50,180
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 490 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $52,070
- Median hourly wage: $25.03
- Total employment: 180 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $52,110
- Median hourly wage: $25.05
- Total employment: 540 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $53,770
- Median hourly wage: $25.85
- Total employment: 3,170 people (10.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $54,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $54,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $54,730
- Median hourly wage: $26.31
- Total employment: 140 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $54,780
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 1,050 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $54,840
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 430 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $55,990
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 490 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santi lumubol // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 1,820 people (6.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $57,730
- Median hourly wage: $27.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $57,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $58,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $59,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 190 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 820 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 350 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 540 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 810 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 150 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 290 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $63,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.72
- Total employment: 100 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $64,880
- Median hourly wage: $31.19
- Total employment: 370 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $67,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $67,830
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $71,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 350 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $74,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.03
- Total employment: 370 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $75,170
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $75,180
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $75,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.15
- Total employment: 190 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $75,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.27
- Total employment: 190 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 130 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $87,480
- Median hourly wage: $42.06
- Total employment: 180 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $94,930
- Median hourly wage: $45.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 1,660 people (5.71 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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