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

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 Blacksburg 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. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $49,170
- Median hourly wage: $23.64
- Total employment: 130 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $49,270
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 110 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $49,430
- Median hourly wage: $23.76
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $49,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 300 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $49,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.82
- Total employment: 1,010 people (13.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#44. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $50,140
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 300 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Veterinary technologists and technicians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $50,140
- Median hourly wage: $24.10
- Total employment: 140 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping (tie)

- Median annual wage: $50,480
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services (tie)

- Median annual wage: $50,480
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $50,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 150 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $50,750
- Median hourly wage: $24.40
- Total employment: 210 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $50,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $51,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: Not available

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $52,090
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 180 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $52,970
- Median hourly wage: $25.47
- Total employment: 180 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.94
- Total employment: 220 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $54,350
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 470 people (6.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $54,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.24
- Total employment: 320 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $56,110
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 720 people (9.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.47
- Total employment: 440 people (5.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $57,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 80 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 300 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 320 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 190 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $60,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 330 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $61,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 240 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 110 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 610 people (8.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 80 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 150 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,370
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,160
- Median hourly wage: $32.29
- Total employment: 280 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $67,550
- Median hourly wage: $32.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $71,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.14
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,350
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 530 people (7.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 400 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.03
- Total employment: 100 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $79,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.24
- Total employment: 110 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $81,030
- Median hourly wage: $38.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $82,790
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials

- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $85,020
- Median hourly wage: $40.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,070
- Median hourly wage: $44.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,240
- Median hourly wage: $44.83
- Total employment: 90 people (1.16 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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