Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.
However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.
With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.
Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.
It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in New York City. 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.
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
#50. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $38,420
- Median hourly wage: $18.47
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
#49. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $38,350
- Median hourly wage: $18.44
- Total employment: 100 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
#47. Cooks, short order (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: Not available
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
#47. Stockers and order fillers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: 130,860 people (13.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KarepaStock // Shutterstock
#46. Grounds maintenance workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,180
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#45. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $38,010
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 3,150 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
#44. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $37,990
- Median hourly wage: $18.27
- Total employment: 605,590 people (64.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
#43. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $37,950
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 16,140 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Brian Goodman // Shutterstock
#42. Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $37,940
- Median hourly wage: $18.24
- Total employment: 210 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
#41. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $37,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 14,540 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
#40. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.98
- Total employment: 19,070 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
#39. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $37,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 5,660 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#38. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 212,470 people (22.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
#37. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $37,320
- Median hourly wage: $17.94
- Total employment: 3,300 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
#36. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $37,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 37,610 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
#35. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $37,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 7,200 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
#34. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $37,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 2,340 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
#33. Shoe and leather workers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 340 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
#32. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $37,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 123,210 people (13.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arsenii Palivoda // Shutterstock
#31. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 770 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
#30. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $36,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 1,780 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
#29. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 15,840 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
#28. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 600 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
#27. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers
- Median annual wage: $36,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 210 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
#26. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,670
- Median hourly wage: $17.63
- Total employment: 10,920 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
#25. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $36,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 8,380 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
#24. Etchers and engravers
- Median annual wage: $36,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.60
- Total employment: 340 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
#23. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 46,800 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
#22. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 6,160 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
#21. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 7,370 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
#20. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 26,620 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
#19. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 54,130 people (5.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#18. Sewers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 210 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
#16. Automotive and watercraft service attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 8,210 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
#16. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 26,610 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
#15. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: Not available
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
#14. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 15,450 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
#12. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 163,130 people (17.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
#12. Physical therapist aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 5,150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $35,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 175,790 people (18.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
#10. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 2,700 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
#9. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 13,490 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
#8. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 1,510 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
#7. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $34,980
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 2,260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nataliia Maksymenko // Shutterstock
#6. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Median annual wage: $34,570
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 980 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
#5. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 13,550 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
#4. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 17,550 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
#3. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 23,850 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
#2. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 3,590 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
#1. Shampooers
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 1,450 people (0.15 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 364 metros.
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