Lowest-paying jobs in Fayetteville
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world but there’s a growing trend of financial inequality, with middle-class households feeling the most impact. In fact, the number of adults who live in middle-class households dropped from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to an April 2022 analysis from Pew Research Center. On the other hand, the upper-income level rose from 14% to 21%. The declining middle class in the U.S. can be attributed to various factors including a decrease in unions and manufacturing jobs and an increased need for college-educated, tech-savvy employees.
The COVID-19 pandemic also played a major role in exposing the harsh financial gap as those who fell under the middle- and upper-income brackets were able to keep their jobs and/or work remotely. At the start of the pandemic in the U.S., workers who fell under the lower-income tier found themselves unemployed or having to be out of work, even if temporarily, as their place of employment was closed.
Those who worked in the leisure and hospitality industries were hit the hardest financially. In December 2020, employment in the hospitality industry was down by 23% compared to pre-pandemic levels in February 2020, an unemployment rate that surpassed other industries. Service employees such as housekeepers, food preparation workers, kitchen cooks, automobile glass installers, and animal caretakers were some of the lowest-paying jobs in the nation.
Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-paying jobs in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.
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#50. Bicycle repairers
- Annual mean salary: $31,030
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,360
- Employment: 14,760
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($42,150)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,650)
--- Boulder, CO ($40,810)
#49. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Annual mean salary: $31,000
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,870
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,680
- Employment: 132,100
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($40,580)
--- Anchorage, AK ($40,540)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,730)
#48. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Annual mean salary: $30,810
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 870
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,550
- Employment: 351,960
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($40,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,780)
#47. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
- Annual mean salary: $30,800
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,280
- Employment: 45,350
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($48,810)
--- Lewiston, ID-WA ($46,520)
--- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($45,140)

#46. Stockers and order fillers
- Annual mean salary: $30,790
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,360
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,020
- Employment: 2,451,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($42,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,960)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($40,620)
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#45. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Annual mean salary: $30,770
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,590
- Employment: 48,190
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($51,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,250)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,440)
#44. Residential advisors
- Annual mean salary: $30,700
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,950
- Employment: 92,500
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($50,560)
--- Napa, CA ($48,390)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($46,210)

#43. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $30,630
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 73,000
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950)
--- Napa, CA ($57,890)
#42. Psychiatric technicians
- Annual mean salary: $30,530
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,000
- Employment: 93,410
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($76,220)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($69,420)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($67,950)
#41. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $30,320
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,240
- Employment: 892,450
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,650)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,240)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($44,830)
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#40. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Annual mean salary: $30,250
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,960
- Employment: 111,480
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($50,340)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($41,840)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,120)
#39. Packers and packagers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $30,020
- #164 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,670
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,950
- Employment: 585,270
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,960)
--- Rome, GA ($38,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,460)
#38. Retail salespersons
- Annual mean salary: $29,720
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,910
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,920
- Employment: 3,693,490
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($41,150)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,150)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($38,790)
#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Annual mean salary: $29,620
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,430
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,910
- Employment: 983,150
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,680)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($41,290)
#36. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Annual mean salary: $29,490
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,570
- Employment: 175,660
- Entry level education requirements: not available
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,740)
--- Napa, CA ($42,730)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($42,000)
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#35. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $29,310
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,390
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,250
- Employment: 1,314,830
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,500)
--- Salinas, CA ($44,210)
#34. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $29,140
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,780
- Employment: 98,970
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ames, IA ($44,000)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,920)
#33. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Annual mean salary: $28,800
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,150
- Employment: 34,140
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,780)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($42,120)
--- Provo-Orem, UT ($41,660)
#32. Sewing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $28,790
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,880
- Employment: 116,220
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Appleton, WI ($43,060)
--- Glens Falls, NY ($42,270)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($40,660)
#31. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $28,430
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,370
- Employment: 42,390
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($45,060)
--- Jackson, MS ($42,210)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($40,510)
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#30. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $28,390
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,350
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,860
- Employment: 2,036,680
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,030)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($41,240)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($41,150)
#29. Recreation workers
- Annual mean salary: $28,360
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,020
- Employment: 264,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($50,710)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($44,200)
#28. Cooks, restaurant
- Annual mean salary: $27,870
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,390
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,630
- Employment: 1,193,860
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($43,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,380)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($41,690)
#27. Library assistants, clerical
- Annual mean salary: $27,830
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,490
- Employment: 78,470
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,500)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($49,030)
#26. Food preparation workers
- Annual mean salary: $27,740
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $28,810
- Employment: 783,350
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,950)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,230)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($38,340)
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#25. Animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $27,500
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,520
- Employment: 225,680
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($40,460)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,720)
--- Salinas, CA ($37,420)
#24. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $27,190
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,780
- Employment: 147,100
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Pittsfield, MA ($82,910)
--- Santa Fe, NM ($68,440)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,110)
#23. School bus monitors
- Annual mean salary: $27,120
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,220
- Employment: 55,310
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($49,850)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($48,610)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,750)
#22. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Annual mean salary: $26,920
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,830
- Employment: 157,400
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,290)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($35,690)
#21. Bus drivers, school
- Annual mean salary: $26,900
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,750
- Employment: 361,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Elkhart-Goshen, IN ($55,400)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($55,150)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($53,770)
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#20. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $26,870
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,790
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,760
- Employment: 1,187,270
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($46,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,820)

#19. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $26,700
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,410
- Employment: 374,620
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Prescott, AZ ($64,310)
--- Appleton, WI ($63,310)
--- Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($58,770)

#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Annual mean salary: $26,540
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,500
- Employment: 243,030
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($46,270)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,400)
#17. Bartenders
- Annual mean salary: $26,440
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,340
- Employment: 485,330
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($50,180)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,820)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($47,440)
#16. Cooks, short order
- Annual mean salary: $26,240
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $28,110
- Employment: 124,800
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,670)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,060)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,940)
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#15. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $26,020
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,580
- Employment: 723,430
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,430)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($44,940)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,580)
#14. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Annual mean salary: $26,010
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,380
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,520
- Employment: 392,860
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,400)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($47,000)
#13. Orderlies
- Annual mean salary: $25,530
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,440
- Employment: 45,160
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,370)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,740)

#12. Dishwashers
- Annual mean salary: $25,520
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,350
- Employment: 377,040
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,440)
#11. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Annual mean salary: $25,470
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,110
- Employment: 262,170
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($36,800)
--- Anchorage, AK ($36,020)
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#10. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Annual mean salary: $25,380
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,320
- Employment: 114,320
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($43,930)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($37,930)
#9. Cashiers
- Annual mean salary: $25,330
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,140
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,780
- Employment: 3,335,170
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,910)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,400)
#8. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Annual mean salary: $25,320
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
National
- Annual mean salary: $28,040
- Employment: 220,380
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,150)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($48,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,910)

#7. Fast food and counter workers
- Annual mean salary: $25,270
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,060
- Employment: 3,095,120
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($34,240)
#6. Cooks, fast food
- Annual mean salary: $25,020
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
National
- Annual mean salary: $25,490
- Employment: 768,130
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($36,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($36,640)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,040)
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#5. Waiters and waitresses
- Annual mean salary: $24,610
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,540
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,010
- Employment: 1,804,030
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Glens Falls, NY ($47,570)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,080)
--- Ithaca, NY ($44,970)
#4. Childcare workers
- Annual mean salary: $24,480
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,100
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,680
- Employment: 438,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,390)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,120)
--- Napa, CA ($36,850)
#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Annual mean salary: $24,420
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,690
- Employment: 336,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($38,490)
--- Ithaca, NY ($38,170)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,910)
#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Annual mean salary: $24,350
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,000
- Employment: 324,690
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,060)
--- Madera, CA ($36,490)
#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Annual mean salary: $23,840
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,390
- Employment: 54,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charlottesville, VA ($48,540)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($39,670)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($37,140)
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