Lowest-paying jobs in Lewiston, Maine
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 Lewiston-Auburn, ME, 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.
#50. Medical assistants
- Annual mean salary: $37,370
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,190
- Employment: 727,760
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($58,670)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,930)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,870)
#49. Order clerks
- Annual mean salary: $36,870
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,820
- Employment: 133,850
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bismarck, ND ($51,440)
--- Trenton, NJ ($51,040)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($50,810)
#48. Butchers and meat cutters
- Annual mean salary: $36,640
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,670
- Employment: 145,930
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($50,570)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($50,510)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($48,490)
#47. Helpers--production workers
- Annual mean salary: $36,570
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,910
- Employment: 202,860
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($48,190)
--- Pittsfield, MA ($43,910)
--- Reno, NV ($41,940)
#46. Customer service representatives
- Annual mean salary: $36,030
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,400
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 2,787,070
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,510)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($47,490)
#45. Waiters and waitresses
- Annual mean salary: $35,850
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
#44. Sewing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $35,830
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#43. Food batchmakers
- Annual mean salary: $35,290
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,190
- Employment: 155,240
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Battle Creek, MI ($65,310)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($56,900)
--- Binghamton, NY ($50,910)
#42. Stockers and order fillers
- Annual mean salary: $35,190
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040
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)
#41. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $35,150
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
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)
#40. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $35,140
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,950
- Employment: 2,729,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,230)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($42,590)
#39. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $34,900
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,010
- Employment: 55,930
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bowling Green, KY ($49,980)
--- Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL ($48,400)
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($48,360)
#38. Recreation workers
- Annual mean salary: $34,870
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#37. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Annual mean salary: $34,770
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#36. Cooks, restaurant
- Annual mean salary: $34,230
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#35. Tellers
- Annual mean salary: $34,180
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,930
- Employment: 364,210
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,490)
--- Napa, CA ($42,000)
#34. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $33,920
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,970
- Employment: 436,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,340)
--- Napa, CA ($58,620)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,390)
#33. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Annual mean salary: $33,780
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,840
- Employment: 169,840
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,820)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,920)
--- Salinas, CA ($52,980)
#32. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $33,530
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)
#31. Driver/sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $33,510
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,970
- Employment: 477,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bismarck, ND ($48,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($46,390)
--- Fargo, ND-MN ($46,360)
#30. Retail salespersons
- Annual mean salary: $33,500
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)
#29. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Annual mean salary: $33,200
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#28. Security guards
- Annual mean salary: $32,670
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,830
- Employment: 1,057,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($70,350)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($58,440)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($55,500)
#27. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Annual mean salary: $32,660
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 126,050
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,470)
--- Napa, CA ($60,830)
#26. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Annual mean salary: $32,650
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,990
- Employment: 285,980
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($53,630)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($53,470)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($52,630)
#25. Receptionists and information clerks
- Annual mean salary: $32,620
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380
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)
#24. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $32,610
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)
#23. Tire repairers and changers
- Annual mean salary: $31,860
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,520
- Employment: 93,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($44,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,370)
#22. Phlebotomists
- Annual mean salary: $31,690
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,450
- Employment: 132,750
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,940)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,050)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($53,880)
#21. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $31,530
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,430
- Employment: 26,710
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madison, WI ($44,500)
--- Wausau, WI ($44,290)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($43,260)
#20. Bakers
- Annual mean salary: $31,460
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,300
- Employment: 181,800
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($41,850)
--- Chattanooga, TN-GA ($41,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,160)
#19. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $31,030
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#18. Library assistants, clerical
- Annual mean salary: $30,750
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#17. Cooks, short order
- Annual mean salary: $30,550
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#16. Emergency medical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $30,500
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,690
- Employment: 161,400
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($63,500)
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($59,020)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($58,770)
#15. Childcare workers
- Annual mean salary: $30,170
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#14. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $29,980
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#13. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Annual mean salary: $29,930
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#12. Animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $29,770
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#11. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Annual mean salary: $29,740
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,670
- Employment: 82,690
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,540)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($55,860)
--- Bellingham, WA ($54,870)
#10. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Annual mean salary: $29,670
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#9. Food preparation workers
- Annual mean salary: $29,590
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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)
#8. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Annual mean salary: $29,400
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $29,190
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#6. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Annual mean salary: $29,000
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#5. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Annual mean salary: $28,900
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#4. Packers and packagers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $28,840
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#3. Fast food and counter workers
- Annual mean salary: $28,820
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
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)
#2. Cashiers
- Annual mean salary: $28,560
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)
#1. Dishwashers
- Annual mean salary: $28,150
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)