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

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 Odessa 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. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $49,770
- Median hourly wage: $23.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $49,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.00
- Total employment: 310 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $50,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 890 people (11.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $50,510
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 2,010 people (25.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $50,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 660 people (8.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall

- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $52,270
- Median hourly wage: $25.13
- Total employment: 230 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $52,290
- Median hourly wage: $25.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Xmentoys // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Calibration technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $52,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DC Studio // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 260 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $55,110
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 3,280 people (41.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $55,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 140 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $55,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 160 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 120 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $57,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 290 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 450 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 200 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 410 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 280 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 1,550 people (19.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $59,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 130 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 800 people (10.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $61,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 120 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#21. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 130 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Food service managers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 150 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 750 people (9.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 420 people (5.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 60 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.70
- Total employment: 870 people (11.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.91
- Total employment: 90 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 130 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $68,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 520 people (6.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 400 people (5.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $72,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.62
- Total employment: 170 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,410
- Median hourly wage: $35.30
- Total employment: 1,420 people (17.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,030
- Median hourly wage: $35.59
- Total employment: 150 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 620 people (7.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 110 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,810
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 710 people (8.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $82,130
- Median hourly wage: $39.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)