Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $51,590
- Median hourly wage: $24.80
- Total employment: 80 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in St. George
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 St. George 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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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $52,260
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 130 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $52,310
- Median hourly wage: $25.15
- Total employment: 170 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Radovan1 / Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $53,170
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 250 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $53,650
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 450 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $53,710
- Median hourly wage: $25.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $54,530
- Median hourly wage: $26.22
- Total employment: 590 people (6.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $54,820
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $55,250
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 490 people (5.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Malivuk // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Mechanical door repairers
- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $55,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $55,910
- Median hourly wage: $26.88
- Total employment: 1,340 people (15.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $55,920
- Median hourly wage: $26.89
- Total employment: 440 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $56,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.92
- Total employment: 360 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.02
- Total employment: 240 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 530 people (6.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $56,820
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 150 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,890
- Median hourly wage: $27.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 380 people (4.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $57,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 140 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $59,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.48
- Total employment: 70 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 110 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 150 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 290 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 530 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 150 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 320 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $60,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.40
- Total employment: 890 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $62,070
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 200 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $62,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 100 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $63,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 130 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $65,160
- Median hourly wage: $31.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $67,070
- Median hourly wage: $32.25
- Total employment: 90 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 740 people (8.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $68,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $68,920
- Median hourly wage: $33.13
- Total employment: 340 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $80,010
- Median hourly wage: $38.47
- Total employment: 220 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $80,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.68
- Total employment: 290 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $87,760
- Median hourly wage: $42.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 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: $88,150
- Median hourly wage: $42.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $91,760
- Median hourly wage: $44.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $94,100
- Median hourly wage: $45.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $107,720
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $111,780
- Median hourly wage: $53.74
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 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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