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

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 Beckley 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.

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $43,990
- Median hourly wage: $21.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $44,160
- Median hourly wage: $21.23
- Total employment: 140 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $44,870
- Median hourly wage: $21.57
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $44,950
- Median hourly wage: $21.61
- Total employment: 110 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $45,070
- Median hourly wage: $21.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $45,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.97
- Total employment: 190 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $45,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.02
- Total employment: 110 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $45,900
- Median hourly wage: $22.07
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $45,930
- Median hourly wage: $22.08
- Total employment: 100 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $46,390
- Median hourly wage: $22.30
- Total employment: 90 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $46,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.50
- Total employment: 160 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,880
- Median hourly wage: $22.54
- Total employment: 390 people (9.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,050
- Median hourly wage: $22.62
- Total employment: 60 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $47,470
- Median hourly wage: $22.82
- Total employment: 690 people (16.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $47,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.01
- Total employment: 200 people (4.73 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: $47,930
- Median hourly wage: $23.04
- Total employment: 160 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $48,180
- Median hourly wage: $23.16
- Total employment: 50 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 470 people (10.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $49,600
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 140 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $50,380
- Median hourly wage: $24.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stokkete // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $52,730
- Median hourly wage: $25.35
- Total employment: 400 people (9.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $55,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.47
- Total employment: 260 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

photodiem // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

- Median annual wage: $55,800
- Median hourly wage: $26.83
- Total employment: 60 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 80 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,050
- Median hourly wage: $27.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $58,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 210 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 430 people (10.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kzenon // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $59,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 110 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: Not available

welcomia // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 120 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 90 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $61,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.39
- Total employment: 80 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $61,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 100 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 370 people (8.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 130 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ironwas // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Continuous mining machine operators

- Median annual wage: $62,900
- Median hourly wage: $30.24
- Total employment: 140 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $64,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,680
- Median hourly wage: $32.06
- Total employment: 100 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $67,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $68,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 70 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,970
- Median hourly wage: $33.16
- Total employment: 280 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining

- Median annual wage: $71,090
- Median hourly wage: $34.18
- Total employment: 210 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $74,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Causeway // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Roof bolters, mining

- Median annual wage: $76,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.56
- Total employment: 190 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $76,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,400
- Median hourly wage: $45.39
- Total employment: 350 people (8.27 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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