Barely Surviving: 15 Lowest Paid Jobs in the U.S.
Americans nationwide have begun to demand a living wage, standing together and making their voices heard. Unfortunately, the disparity between living expenses and wages leaves a significant portion of the American workforce barely surviving.
Between the rising cost of living and inflation hitting people everywhere, from their grocery budgets to mortgage rates, many workers have secured second and third jobs, side hustles, and economy gig work to supplement the mounting expense.
What Are the Lowest Paid Jobs in the U.S.?
Sadly, many of the lowest-paid jobs are the ones that make our world go round. These American jobs are the least compensated, from caring for children and elders to keeping people fed and places clean.
Median wage statistics are pulled from Salary unless otherwise noted.
1. Hosts and Hostesses
Median Wage: $12.00 Hourly.
Hosts and hostesses in restaurants are the friendly faces that greet customers when they enter the establishment. They seat customers, manage reservations, take to-go orders, and ensure a pleasant dining experience.
Some are also responsible for packing to-go orders and helping clean tables in restaurants that don’t staff bussers. Hosts and hostesses generally make minimum wage and rely on tips to supplement their income.
2. Baristas
Median Wage: $12.00 Hourly.
Baristas keep the world going by preparing and serving coffee and other beverages in drive-up windows, cafes, and coffee shops.
They also deal with grumpy “haven’t had my coffee yet” people while cashiering and keeping workspaces clean.
Baristas heavily rely on tips, and many work part-time in the position as a second job to supplement income from their first job, which doesn’t pay a living wage.
3. Fast Food Workers
Median Wage: $13.00 Hourly.
Fast food workers are often dismissed as having an easy job that is not worth paying a living wage. However, the truth is they deal with the unforgiving, angry, rude, and entitled public during high-stress situations, including backed-up drive-thrus and adult temper tantrums in the lobby.
Most fast food places pay their state’s minimum wage, but some have begun paying more due to the restaurant labor shortage aftermath of the pandemic.
4. Dishwashers
Median Wage: $13.00 Hourly.
Businesses, including restaurants, fast food chains, and hotels, need dishwashers to maintain operations. Their job duties include cleaning dishes, utensils, and kitchen equipment. Many also perform janitorial duties like sweeping and mopping.
Dishwashers often work long hours in hot and steamy conditions, and their physical demands require stamina and speed.
Despite their essential role in the food service industry, dishwashers typically earn lower wages, starting at the state’s minimum.
5. Cashiers
Median Wage: $14.00 Hourly.
Cashiers handle customer transactions in retail stores, supermarkets, and other businesses where cash registers exist. They are essential for smooth business operations but earn some of the lowest wages in the American job market.
The position involves long hours of standing and dealing with a high volume of customers, many of who are rude and disrespectful.
6. Hotel Housekeeping
Median Wage: $14.00 Hourly.
Despite high demand, hotel housekeepers are among the lowest-paid jobs today. The job entails cleaning and maintaining guest rooms and public areas in hotels and motels.
This line of work is physically demanding, involving long cleaning, lifting, and bending hours. Housekeepers depend on tips to supplement their incomes, but many people do not tip for this service.
7. Childcare Workers
Median Wage: $15.00 Hourly.
As a former childcare worker, I can confirm that they are seriously underpaid to care for this generation’s children. Childcare workers care for little ones in daycare centers, preschools, and private homes as nannies.
They are responsible for young children’s safety, education, and well-being. Still, despite their critical role in early childhood development, childcare workers are typically paid minimum wages.
8. Amusement and Recreation Park Attendants
Median Wage: $15.30 Hourly.
Amusement and recreation park attendants work in theme parks, traveling carnivals, jump parks, arcades, and other recreational facilities. They assist customers with games, operate rides, ensure safety, and maintain equipment.
These jobs usually pay close to the minimum wage and offer limited opportunities for advancement. The seasonal nature of some of these jobs can also create periods of unemployment.
9. Food Preparation Workers
Median Wage: $16.00 Hourly.
Food preparation workers assist chefs and cooks in preparing dishes for restaurants, cafeterias, and grocery store delis.
Food prep jobs involve chopping produce, measuring ingredients, and maintaining surface cleanliness in the kitchen. Most food preparation workers start at minimum wage and have little potential for substantial growth on the pay scale.
10. Laundry Workers
Median Wage: $17.00 Hourly.
Laundry workers clean, press, and fold clothing, sheets, and bedding. Their job requires attention to detail and the ability to operate machinery.
Despite the skills required, laundry workers often receive lower wages (minimum or just over) and minimal benefits. Many laundry workers are forced to pick up side jobs to supplement their income.
11. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA)
Median Wage: $17.00 Hourly.
A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) does so much for so little, and it’s sad. These workers take care of your parents and grandparents. They aren’t paid enough to continue to care, even if they started off by sincerely doing so.
My friend had to do a postmortem cleaning on a deceased patient for minimum wage. Not only that, but it was on a patient she loved and had cared for for seven months. She cried, and I cried knowing that I made more than her bartending that night. Something is seriously wrong with that picture.
CNAs assist patients with daily bathing, dressing, and medication management. It’s exhausting and physically demanding. Despite their education, certification, importance, and demanding nature, CNAs are often paid meager wages just above the minimum.
12. Personal Care Aides and Attendants
Median Wage: $17.00 Hourly.
Personal care aides and attendants offer services similar to those of certified nursing assistants but do not perform medical tasks. Still, the same median wage is noted for both professions.
Personal care aides also assist patients with daily living activities and provide companionship for people in memory care and nursing home facilities.
13. Janitors and Custodians
Median Wage: $17.00 Hourly.
Janitors and custodians maintain cleanliness in buildings such as hospitals, schools, and offices. Their job is vital in helping prevent the spread of illness and disease.
A lot of janitorial work requires physical endurance; duties involve sweeping, mopping, trash removal, and sanitizing surfaces. Still, they are commonly paid right above the minimum wage.
14. Farm Workers
Median Wage: $17.00 Hourly.
Farm or agricultural workers perform various tasks in rural settings, including planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops. Their work is physically demanding and can be a hot and sweaty business.
Farming work is also often seasonal, leading to periods of unemployment. Farm workers are some of the hardest working people on the planet, but they typically earn low wages. Some also face poor working conditions.
Farmworker Justice reports that at least 20% of farmworker families earned incomes that placed them below the poverty line. Unfortunately, many rely on public assistance programs to support their families.
15. Parking Lot Attendants
Median Wage: $17.00 Hourly.
Parking lot attendants are typically paid right around minimum wage. They manage parking facilities, assist customers, and ensure the security of parked vehicles.
The job involves long hours, dealing with the public, and exposure to the elements. Freezing temperatures, rain, and snow make it miserably low-paying.
Key Takeaway
The financial hardship and limited opportunities for advancement faced by workers in these roles are stark realities. Despite these workers’ critical roles in various industries, they receive the lowest compensation in America.
This disparity underscores the urgent need for economic and policy reforms to ensure fair wages and better working conditions for all workers. Addressing these issues is essential to creating a more equitable and sustainable economy where all workers can achieve a decent standard of living.
