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

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 Tyler 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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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $51,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 330 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Roustabouts, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $53,030
- Median hourly wage: $25.50
- Total employment: 240 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $53,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 260 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $54,140
- Median hourly wage: $26.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $54,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 170 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $55,240
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 450 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $56,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SatawatK // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 150 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 870 people (7.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 70 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 670 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $58,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $58,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 90 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 1,130 people (10.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $60,200
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 80 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Private detectives and investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,450
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 610 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Derrick operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $61,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 110 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $61,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 280 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 560 people (4.95 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: $63,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 470 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 260 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 270 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,420
- Median hourly wage: $32.89
- Total employment: 470 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $69,200
- Median hourly wage: $33.27
- Total employment: 100 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $69,310
- Median hourly wage: $33.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $69,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 80 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,180
- Median hourly wage: $33.74
- Total employment: 110 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $70,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $71,140
- Median hourly wage: $34.20
- Total employment: 350 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $73,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 290 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $75,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 250 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 130 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,680
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 500 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $77,650
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 80 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $78,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $84,030
- Median hourly wage: $40.40
- Total employment: 190 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $86,230
- Median hourly wage: $41.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $87,460
- Median hourly wage: $42.05
- Total employment: 170 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)