Shift Drive // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $46,630
- Median hourly wage: $22.42
- Total employment: 160 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Wichita Falls
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 Wichita Falls 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. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $46,720
- Median hourly wage: $22.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $46,950
- Median hourly wage: $22.57
- Total employment: 240 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $47,190
- Median hourly wage: $22.69
- Total employment: 160 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $47,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $48,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
7 / 50#43. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $48,050
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $48,050
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 140 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $48,650
- Median hourly wage: $23.39
- Total employment: 150 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $48,720
- Median hourly wage: $23.42
- Total employment: 170 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $48,950
- Median hourly wage: $23.53
- Total employment: 730 people (12.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lighthunter // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Medical equipment repairers
- Median annual wage: $49,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $49,290
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 70 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $49,890
- Median hourly wage: $23.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $50,340
- Median hourly wage: $24.20
- Total employment: 280 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $50,360
- Median hourly wage: $24.21
- Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $51,020
- Median hourly wage: $24.53
- Total employment: 550 people (9.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 230 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $52,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $53,070
- Median hourly wage: $25.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $53,150
- Median hourly wage: $25.55
- Total employment: 270 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $53,930
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 160 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $54,440
- Median hourly wage: $26.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $55,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 90 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $55,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 650 people (11.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $55,670
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 190 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $56,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 110 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $56,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.10
- Total employment: 610 people (10.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladimir Endovitskiy // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $57,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,110
- Median hourly wage: $27.94
- Total employment: 130 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $58,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 270 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $58,870
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 250 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 320 people (5.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $59,050
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 90 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 80 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 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: $62,120
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 290 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $68,890
- Median hourly wage: $33.12
- Total employment: 70 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $70,030
- Median hourly wage: $33.67
- Total employment: 420 people (7.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,920
- Median hourly wage: $35.06
- Total employment: 100 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $73,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $77,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 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: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $81,170
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $82,180
- Median hourly wage: $39.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,810
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 400 people (7.07 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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