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1 / 50#50. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,550
- Median hourly wage: $26.22
- Total employment: 130 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Huntington
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 Huntington 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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2 / 50#49. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $54,590
- Median hourly wage: $26.25
- Total employment: 580 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $54,620
- Median hourly wage: $26.26
- Total employment: 90 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $54,690
- Median hourly wage: $26.29
- Total employment: 130 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $55,110
- Median hourly wage: $26.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $55,690
- Median hourly wage: $26.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $55,750
- Median hourly wage: $26.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $56,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.93
- Total employment: 1,020 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $56,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 100 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 770 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Funeral home managers
- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $59,050
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $59,070
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 210 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 280 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 110 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $59,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.83
- Total employment: 100 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 70 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $60,870
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 780 people (5.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $62,060
- Median hourly wage: $29.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 130 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $63,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.52
- Total employment: 680 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 200 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $64,940
- Median hourly wage: $31.22
- Total employment: 150 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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28 / 50#23. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 80 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $67,140
- Median hourly wage: $32.28
- Total employment: 150 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $67,630
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 710 people (5.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $67,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.67
- Total employment: 290 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $69,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.20
- Total employment: 390 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $69,330
- Median hourly wage: $33.33
- Total employment: 210 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $70,270
- Median hourly wage: $33.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $71,620
- Median hourly wage: $34.43
- Total employment: 110 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $71,950
- Median hourly wage: $34.59
- Total employment: 370 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $72,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 810 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $72,860
- Median hourly wage: $35.03
- Total employment: 950 people (6.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $73,250
- Median hourly wage: $35.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 120 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $74,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.03
- Total employment: 130 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $76,570
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,860
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 220 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,330
- Median hourly wage: $38.14
- Total employment: 160 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $80,660
- Median hourly wage: $38.78
- Total employment: 390 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $82,010
- Median hourly wage: $39.43
- Total employment: 100 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $82,880
- Median hourly wage: $39.85
- Total employment: 70 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $85,050
- Median hourly wage: $40.89
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 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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