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

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 Bremerton 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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welcomia // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (tie)

- Median annual wage: $72,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 120 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alba_alioth // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#48. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)

- Median annual wage: $72,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 190 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Insulation workers, mechanical (tie)

- Median annual wage: $72,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 190 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $73,030
- Median hourly wage: $35.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

muratart // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $73,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.39
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Median annual wage: $74,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $74,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.75
- Total employment: 480 people (5.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $74,400
- Median hourly wage: $35.77
- Total employment: 140 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $74,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.22
- Total employment: 770 people (8.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $75,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 170 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#36. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 1,340 people (14.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#36. Electricians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 1,110 people (11.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#36. Riggers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 580 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (tie)

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 990 people (10.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#34. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $76,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)

- Median annual wage: $76,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.84
- Total employment: 340 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $76,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 190 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.96
- Total employment: 430 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $78,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 130 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $78,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 320 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,440
- Median hourly wage: $38.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $79,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 200 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $79,870
- Median hourly wage: $38.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $80,380
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,440
- Median hourly wage: $38.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $81,410
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: 260 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $82,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.66
- Total employment: 150 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $84,770
- Median hourly wage: $40.76
- Total employment: 270 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $84,780
- Median hourly wage: $40.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $86,700
- Median hourly wage: $41.68
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $86,960
- Median hourly wage: $41.81
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $93,090
- Median hourly wage: $44.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $97,340
- Median hourly wage: $46.80
- Total employment: 60 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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anyaivanova // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $99,520
- Median hourly wage: $47.85
- Total employment: 300 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $100,040
- Median hourly wage: $48.09
- Total employment: 420 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $102,420
- Median hourly wage: $49.24
- Total employment: 480 people (5.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $102,420
- Median hourly wage: $49.24
- Total employment: 740 people (7.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $102,640
- Median hourly wage: $49.34
- Total employment: 280 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BGStock72 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $103,850
- Median hourly wage: $49.93
- Total employment: 1,160 people (12.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $107,000
- Median hourly wage: $51.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $109,120
- Median hourly wage: $52.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $110,140
- Median hourly wage: $52.95
- Total employment: 1,090 people (11.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $113,590
- Median hourly wage: $54.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#4. Dental hygienists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $115,770
- Median hourly wage: $55.66
- Total employment: 190 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Property, real estate, and community association managers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $115,770
- Median hourly wage: $55.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $120,870
- Median hourly wage: $58.11
- Total employment: 110 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $124,170
- Median hourly wage: $59.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $127,490
- Median hourly wage: $61.29
- Total employment: 200 people (2.12 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.