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

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 Bellingham 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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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Median annual wage: $67,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: Not available

Steve Hamann // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners

- Median annual wage: $68,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 110 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 220 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $69,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 90 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $69,690
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $69,950
- Median hourly wage: $33.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $70,020
- Median hourly wage: $33.67
- Total employment: 80 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $70,050
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.90
- Total employment: 490 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.03
- Total employment: 340 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 930 people (10.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 220 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 910 people (9.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.87
- Total employment: 660 people (7.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 750 people (8.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 420 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $76,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 440 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $76,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 90 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 120 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $76,860
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 150 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $77,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 210 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $78,690
- Median hourly wage: $37.83
- Total employment: 100 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $78,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.05
- Total employment: 60 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $79,190
- Median hourly wage: $38.07
- Total employment: 290 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $80,160
- Median hourly wage: $38.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $83,340
- Median hourly wage: $40.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $83,860
- Median hourly wage: $40.32
- Total employment: 130 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BearFotos // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $83,950
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $85,060
- Median hourly wage: $40.90
- Total employment: 110 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,630
- Median hourly wage: $41.17
- Total employment: 370 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $86,170
- Median hourly wage: $41.43
- Total employment: 540 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $87,910
- Median hourly wage: $42.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $87,980
- Median hourly wage: $42.30
- Total employment: 150 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $93,170
- Median hourly wage: $44.79
- Total employment: 270 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $96,850
- Median hourly wage: $46.56
- Total employment: 390 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $97,150
- Median hourly wage: $46.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 750 people (8.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $104,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.17
- Total employment: 280 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $106,040
- Median hourly wage: $50.98
- Total employment: 70 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $107,350
- Median hourly wage: $51.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $108,330
- Median hourly wage: $52.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $112,130
- Median hourly wage: $53.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $120,030
- Median hourly wage: $57.71
- Total employment: 160 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $120,080
- Median hourly wage: $57.73
- Total employment: 260 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $126,490
- Median hourly wage: $60.81
- Total employment: 120 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $134,060
- Median hourly wage: $64.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $153,590
- Median hourly wage: $73.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 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.