Glen Jones // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Layout workers, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $67,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.49
- Total employment: 570 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Norfolk
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 Norfolk 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in the Norfolk area by diners
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,970
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 660 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $68,040
- Median hourly wage: $32.71
- Total employment: 100 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $68,320
- Median hourly wage: $32.84
- Total employment: 550 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $69,590
- Median hourly wage: $33.46
- Total employment: 160 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Norfolk for high school graduates
Toa55 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,140
- Median hourly wage: $34.69
- Total employment: 290 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,160
- Median hourly wage: $34.69
- Total employment: 670 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photostriker // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $72,630
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ramon Espelt Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Home appliance repairers
- Median annual wage: $73,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.34
- Total employment: 360 people (0.47 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: $73,650
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 630 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Norfolk
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $74,110
- Median hourly wage: $35.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $74,200
- Median hourly wage: $35.67
- Total employment: 1,000 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $74,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 1,030 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aniwat phromrungsee // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Commercial divers
- Median annual wage: $75,030
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 90 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,810
- Median hourly wage: $36.45
- Total employment: 610 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Norfolk in the last week
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $76,310
- Median hourly wage: $36.69
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ART STOCK CREATIVE // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food science technicians
- Median annual wage: $76,690
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $77,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,310
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 2,490 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 1,010 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Norfolk by diners
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 510 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 110 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $78,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 230 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 3,580 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
curraheeshutter // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Ship engineers
- Median annual wage: $79,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.24
- Total employment: 1,340 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much it costs to park at Norfolk International Airport
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $79,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.44
- Total employment: 600 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $80,400
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 300 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $80,760
- Median hourly wage: $38.83
- Total employment: 400 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $80,850
- Median hourly wage: $38.87
- Total employment: 5,880 people (7.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $82,660
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 1,730 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Norfolk in the last week
Magsi // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Median annual wage: $83,470
- Median hourly wage: $40.13
- Total employment: 140 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Funeral home managers
- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $84,040
- Median hourly wage: $40.40
- Total employment: 1,360 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $84,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.85
- Total employment: 220 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $86,670
- Median hourly wage: $41.67
- Total employment: 730 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated steak restaurants in the Norfolk area by diners
fizkes // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $86,740
- Median hourly wage: $41.70
- Total employment: 140 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $91,960
- Median hourly wage: $44.21
- Total employment: 440 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $92,320
- Median hourly wage: $44.39
- Total employment: 200 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
O.PASH // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $94,390
- Median hourly wage: $45.38
- Total employment: 110 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $94,830
- Median hourly wage: $45.59
- Total employment: 1,410 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Top 25 songs in Norfolk on Shazam in the past week
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $95,100
- Median hourly wage: $45.72
- Total employment: 920 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $96,130
- Median hourly wage: $46.22
- Total employment: 630 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $96,780
- Median hourly wage: $46.53
- Total employment: 130 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $98,910
- Median hourly wage: $47.56
- Total employment: 290 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
socrates471 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $99,920
- Median hourly wage: $48.04
- Total employment: 160 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Norfolk that require a graduate degree
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $101,570
- Median hourly wage: $48.83
- Total employment: 150 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $101,960
- Median hourly wage: $49.02
- Total employment: 240 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $104,850
- Median hourly wage: $50.41
- Total employment: 520 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Nuclear technicians
- Median annual wage: $108,690
- Median hourly wage: $52.25
- Total employment: 90 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $116,920
- Median hourly wage: $56.21
- Total employment: 90 people (0.12 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated Middle Eastern restaurants in Norfolk by diners
