Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Montgomery
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 Montgomery. 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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Standret // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,400
- Median hourly wage: $14.62
- Total employment: 610 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $30,370
- Median hourly wage: $14.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $30,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 1,380 people (8.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $30,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.46
- Total employment: 230 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 200 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 1,360 people (8.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.06
- Total employment: 100 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $29,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 170 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $29,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.99
- Total employment: 160 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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New Africa // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 810 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $29,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 4,670 people (28.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $28,970
- Median hourly wage: $13.93
- Total employment: 240 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,760
- Median hourly wage: $13.83
- Total employment: 390 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 150 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,300
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 200 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $28,240
- Median hourly wage: $13.58
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: Not available
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 2,320 people (14.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 170 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,620
- Median hourly wage: $13.28
- Total employment: 290 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.27
- Total employment: 320 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.23
- Total employment: 730 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $27,340
- Median hourly wage: $13.14
- Total employment: 80 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,170
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 3,450 people (21.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $26,890
- Median hourly wage: $12.93
- Total employment: 190 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $26,700
- Median hourly wage: $12.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $26,670
- Median hourly wage: $12.82
- Total employment: 610 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $26,100
- Median hourly wage: $12.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jason Person // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $25,470
- Median hourly wage: $12.25
- Total employment: 80 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $23,870
- Median hourly wage: $11.47
- Total employment: 320 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $23,790
- Median hourly wage: $11.44
- Total employment: 2,020 people (12.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $23,730
- Median hourly wage: $11.41
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $23,610
- Median hourly wage: $11.35
- Total employment: 1,840 people (11.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $23,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 670 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $23,230
- Median hourly wage: $11.17
- Total employment: 400 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,890
- Median hourly wage: $11.01
- Total employment: 3,050 people (18.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $22,830
- Median hourly wage: $10.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $22,820
- Median hourly wage: $10.97
- Total employment: 370 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $22,420
- Median hourly wage: $10.78
- Total employment: 1,330 people (8.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $22,250
- Median hourly wage: $10.70
- Total employment: 740 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $22,080
- Median hourly wage: $10.61
- Total employment: 710 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $21,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $21,810
- Median hourly wage: $10.49
- Total employment: 310 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $21,760
- Median hourly wage: $10.46
- Total employment: 2,230 people (13.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $21,730
- Median hourly wage: $10.45
- Total employment: 660 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $20,800
- Median hourly wage: $10.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $20,580
- Median hourly wage: $9.90
- Total employment: 70 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $17,580
- Median hourly wage: $8.45
- Total employment: 620 people (3.77 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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