Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in San Diego
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Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in San Diego
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 San Diego 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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#50. Occupational therapy assistants
– Median annual wage: $80,720
– Median hourly wage: $38.81
– Total employment: 270 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#49. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
– Median annual wage: $81,240
– Median hourly wage: $39.06
– Total employment: 230 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#48. Physical therapist assistants
– Median annual wage: $81,690
– Median hourly wage: $39.27
– Total employment: 700 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#47. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
– Median annual wage: $82,270
– Median hourly wage: $39.56
– Total employment: 4,030 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#46. Surgical technologists
– Median annual wage: $82,430
– Median hourly wage: $39.63
– Total employment: 960 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#45. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
– Median annual wage: $82,630
– Median hourly wage: $39.73
– Total employment: 5,820 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#43. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians (tie)
– Median annual wage: $82,740
– Median hourly wage: $39.78
– Total employment: 2,100 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#43. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (tie)
– Median annual wage: $82,740
– Median hourly wage: $39.78
– Total employment: 2,810 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#42. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
– Median annual wage: $83,100
– Median hourly wage: $39.95
– Total employment: 2,700 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#41. Ship engineers
– Median annual wage: $83,240
– Median hourly wage: $40.02
– Total employment: 70 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#40. Traffic technicians
– Median annual wage: $83,570
– Median hourly wage: $40.18
– Total employment: 230 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#39. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
– Median annual wage: $83,800
– Median hourly wage: $40.29
– Total employment: 170 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#38. Mechanical drafters
– Median annual wage: $83,840
– Median hourly wage: $40.31
– Total employment: 390 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#37. Health information technologists and medical registrars
– Median annual wage: $83,860
– Median hourly wage: $40.32
– Total employment: 320 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#36. Legal support workers, all other
– Median annual wage: $84,730
– Median hourly wage: $40.73
– Total employment: 510 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#35. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
– Median annual wage: $85,110
– Median hourly wage: $40.92
– Total employment: 1,860 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#34. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
– Median annual wage: $86,640
– Median hourly wage: $41.65
– Total employment: 130 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#33. Tool and die makers
– Median annual wage: $86,920
– Median hourly wage: $41.79
– Total employment: 90 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#32. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
– Median annual wage: $88,390
– Median hourly wage: $42.50
– Total employment: 790 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#31. Avionics technicians
– Median annual wage: $90,270
– Median hourly wage: $43.40
– Total employment: 240 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#30. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
– Median annual wage: $90,900
– Median hourly wage: $43.70
– Total employment: 1,490 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#29. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
– Median annual wage: $92,890
– Median hourly wage: $44.66
– Total employment: 590 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#28. Power plant operators
– Median annual wage: $93,670
– Median hourly wage: $45.03
– Total employment: 110 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#27. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
– Median annual wage: $93,710
– Median hourly wage: $45.05
– Total employment: 7,720 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#26. Flight attendants
– Median annual wage: $94,650
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 910 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#25. Gas plant operators
– Median annual wage: $94,990
– Median hourly wage: $45.67
– Total employment: 90 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#24. Fire inspectors and investigators
– Median annual wage: $96,180
– Median hourly wage: $46.24
– Total employment: 80 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#23. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
– Median annual wage: $96,340
– Median hourly wage: $46.32
– Total employment: 70 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#22. Construction and building inspectors
– Median annual wage: $98,980
– Median hourly wage: $47.59
– Total employment: 1,220 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#21. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
– Median annual wage: $99,580
– Median hourly wage: $47.88
– Total employment: 500 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#20. Postmasters and mail superintendents
– Median annual wage: $101,670
– Median hourly wage: $48.88
– Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#19. Gambling managers
– Median annual wage: $102,070
– Median hourly wage: $49.07
– Total employment: 100 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#18. Respiratory therapists
– Median annual wage: $102,590
– Median hourly wage: $49.32
– Total employment: 1,430 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#17. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
– Median annual wage: $102,780
– Median hourly wage: $49.42
– Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#16. Commercial pilots
– Median annual wage: $102,960
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 490 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers (tie)
– Median annual wage: $106,720
– Median hourly wage: $51.31
– Total employment: 920 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians (tie)
– Median annual wage: $106,720
– Median hourly wage: $51.31
– Total employment: 1,640 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#13. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
– Median annual wage: $109,000
– Median hourly wage: $52.40
– Total employment: 2,180 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#12. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers
– Median annual wage: $109,190
– Median hourly wage: $52.49
– Total employment: 4,990 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#11. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
– Median annual wage: $114,050
– Median hourly wage: $54.83
– Total employment: 120 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#10. Insulation workers, mechanical
– Median annual wage: $116,160
– Median hourly wage: $55.85
– Total employment: Not available
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#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
– Median annual wage: $118,830
– Median hourly wage: $57.13
– Total employment: 2,780 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#8. Dental hygienists
– Median annual wage: $120,300
– Median hourly wage: $57.84
– Total employment: 2,000 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
– Median annual wage: $123,850
– Median hourly wage: $59.54
– Total employment: 270 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers
– Median annual wage: $129,440
– Median hourly wage: $62.23
– Total employment: 570 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#5. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
– Median annual wage: $136,670
– Median hourly wage: $65.71
– Total employment: 210 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
– Median annual wage: $147,340
– Median hourly wage: $70.84
– Total employment: 890 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#3. Nuclear medicine technologists
– Median annual wage: $156,190
– Median hourly wage: $75.09
– Total employment: 100 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#2. Radiation therapists
– Median annual wage: $159,600
– Median hourly wage: $76.73
– Total employment: 140 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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#1. Power distributors and dispatchers
– Median annual wage: $166,600
– Median hourly wage: $80.10
– Total employment: 120 people (0.08 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.
