FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $49,260
- Median hourly wage: $23.69
- Total employment: 220 people (5.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Casper
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 Casper 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. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $49,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.73
- Total employment: 140 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $49,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.89
- Total employment: 50 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $49,920
- Median hourly wage: $24.00
- Total employment: 50 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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5 / 50#46. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $50,970
- Median hourly wage: $24.50
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $51,310
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 270 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $53,420
- Median hourly wage: $25.68
- Total employment: 50 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 80 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $54,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.15
- Total employment: 50 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $55,280
- Median hourly wage: $26.58
- Total employment: 260 people (6.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 90 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $57,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 50 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 130 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 950 people (23.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $58,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 50 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $59,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 50 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 480 people (12.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $59,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 200 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 90 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $60,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 490 people (12.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 90 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Said M // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 170 people (4.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $61,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.39
- Total employment: 120 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $61,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 50 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 220 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 90 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 180 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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lenetstan // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 100 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 290 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $63,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $64,720
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 50 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $66,860
- Median hourly wage: $32.15
- Total employment: 410 people (10.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $71,500
- Median hourly wage: $34.38
- Total employment: 250 people (6.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $72,550
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Derrick operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $73,890
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 50 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $77,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.14
- Total employment: 100 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.19
- Total employment: 230 people (5.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $77,650
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $78,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 420 people (10.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $78,310
- Median hourly wage: $37.65
- Total employment: 410 people (10.44 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: $79,990
- Median hourly wage: $38.46
- Total employment: 310 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $81,980
- Median hourly wage: $39.42
- Total employment: 80 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $83,580
- Median hourly wage: $40.18
- Total employment: 170 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $90,990
- Median hourly wage: $43.75
- Total employment: 70 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $97,410
- Median hourly wage: $46.83
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $99,590
- Median hourly wage: $47.88
- Total employment: 110 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $111,450
- Median hourly wage: $53.58
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 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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