DuxX // Shutterstock
1 / 50#49. Butchers and meat cutters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Muskegon
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 Muskegon. 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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John Gress Media Inc // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Engine and other machine assemblers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.90
- Total employment: 90 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
6 / 50#44. Preschool teachers, except special education (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.53
- Total employment: 100 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 270 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 180 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Art of pixels // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 80 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 860 people (13.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $35,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 670 people (10.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 300 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $35,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 950 people (15.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 160 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,990
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 580 people (9.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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zhu difeng // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,890
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 100 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $34,590
- Median hourly wage: $16.63
- Total employment: 110 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 1,420 people (22.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $34,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.36
- Total employment: 630 people (10.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 170 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 240 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $33,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 130 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $32,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $31,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 140 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,860
- Median hourly wage: $15.32
- Total employment: 300 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $31,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 530 people (8.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $31,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $31,090
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 1,750 people (28.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $30,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.89
- Total employment: 1,540 people (24.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $30,880
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $30,310
- Median hourly wage: $14.57
- Total employment: 150 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.51
- Total employment: 90 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 130 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,720
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 110 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 110 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 190 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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nullplus // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.89
- Total employment: 870 people (13.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 260 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 200 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 2,740 people (43.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,190
- Median hourly wage: $13.55
- Total employment: 2,230 people (35.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.46
- Total employment: 320 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 170 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,780
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 160 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,560
- Median hourly wage: $12.77
- Total employment: 220 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $26,310
- Median hourly wage: $12.65
- Total employment: 190 people (2.98 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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