
Lowest-paying jobs in New York City
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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, 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. Retail salespersons
- Annual mean salary: $37,140
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 222,410
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)
#49. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Annual mean salary: $36,820
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)

#48. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)
#47. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Annual mean salary: $36,640
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,660
- Employment: 60,880
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($60,610)
--- Lincoln, NE ($48,580)
--- Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($47,560)

#46. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Annual mean salary: $36,410
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 20,210
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)
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#45. File clerks
- Annual mean salary: $36,350
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,930
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,820
- Employment: 85,460
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,210)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($49,450)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,780)
#44. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $36,340
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,050
- Employment: 22,160
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($36,660)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($36,340)
--- Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($35,630)
#43. Medical transcriptionists
- Annual mean salary: $36,130
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,820
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,220
- Employment: 55,830
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($51,700)
--- New Haven, CT ($49,600)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($49,400)
#42. Driver/sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $36,090
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 25,990
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)
#41. Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $35,930
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,940
- Employment: 6,240
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($40,740)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($37,930)
--- Dalton, GA ($36,380)
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#40. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $35,890
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 18,280
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,750
- Employment: 358,640
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Battle Creek, MI ($60,150)
--- Albany, GA ($53,570)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($50,590)
#39. Taxi drivers
- Annual mean salary: $35,820
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,050
- Employment: 13,950
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($35,820)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($34,830)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($33,650)

#38. Stockers and order fillers
- Annual mean salary: $35,800
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 128,960
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)

#37. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $35,530
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 104,340
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)
#36. Pharmacy aides
- Annual mean salary: $35,340
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,900
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,560
- Employment: 43,560
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($59,160)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($57,630)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($56,450)
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#35. Food batchmakers
- Annual mean salary: $35,060
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,020
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)
#34. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $34,960
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,100
- Employment: 11,970
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($45,730)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($41,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,810)
#33. Food preparation workers
- Annual mean salary: $34,860
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 42,550
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)
#32. Animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $34,830
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,380
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)
#31. Sewing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $34,800
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,620
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)
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#30. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,010
- Employment: 86,450
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI ($40,850)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($39,300)
--- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($39,050)
#29. School bus monitors
- Annual mean salary: $34,520
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,890
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)
#28. Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons
- Annual mean salary: $34,430
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,270
- Employment: 8,940
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($46,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,610)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($43,320)
#27. Passenger attendants
- Annual mean salary: $34,370
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,380
- Employment: 21,240
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($47,240)
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($43,430)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($40,730)
#26. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Annual mean salary: $34,270
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,460
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,440
- Employment: 277,200
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,490)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($40,560)
--- Ithaca, NY ($39,570)
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#24 (tie). Cutters and trimmers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $34,220
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,330
- Employment: 7,920
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ($44,360)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($44,160)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($41,880)
#24 (tie). Packers and packagers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $34,220
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 54,800
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)

#23. Dishwashers
- Annual mean salary: $34,040
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 17,670
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)
#22. Parking attendants
- Annual mean salary: $33,980
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,210
- Employment: 91,160
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,920)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,670)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,420)
#21. Childcare workers
- Annual mean salary: $33,970
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 37,220
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)
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#20. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Annual mean salary: $33,840
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,730
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)
#19. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Annual mean salary: $33,770
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,400
- Employment: 25,560
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA ($39,950)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($39,780)
--- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD ($38,850)
#18. Cooks, fast food
- Annual mean salary: $33,700
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 14,000
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)
#17. Shoe machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $33,390
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,920
- Employment: 3,610
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($45,320)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($33,390)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($30,530)

#16. Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers
- Annual mean salary: $33,380
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,600
- Employment: 14,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Decatur, AL ($60,490)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($47,150)
--- Winston-Salem, NC ($45,210)
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#15. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $32,860
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,840
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)
#14. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $32,820
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,280
- Employment: 21,050
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL ($55,570)
--- Cedar Rapids, IA ($55,380)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,900)
#13. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Annual mean salary: $32,810
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,670
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)
#12. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Annual mean salary: $32,670
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,250
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)
#11. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Annual mean salary: $32,360
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,810
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)
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#10. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Annual mean salary: $32,160
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 11,540
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)
#9. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Annual mean salary: $32,110
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,220
- Employment: 9,670
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,160)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($40,250)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($39,710)
#8. Cashiers
- Annual mean salary: $32,090
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 171,550
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)
#7. Cooks, short order
- Annual mean salary: $32,000
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,880
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)
#6. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Annual mean salary: $31,670
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,160
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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#5. Fast food and counter workers
- Annual mean salary: $31,450
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 137,630
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)
#4. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Annual mean salary: $30,810
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,910
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)
#3. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Annual mean salary: $29,910
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,720
National
- Annual mean salary: $28,110
- Employment: 26,910
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,040)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($37,370)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($36,530)
#2. Shampooers
- Annual mean salary: $29,800
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,750
National
- Annual mean salary: $25,160
- Employment: 9,560
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($30,620)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($29,800)
--- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($28,700)
#1. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Annual mean salary: $29,760
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 20,090
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,480
- Employment: 120,540
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Provo-Orem, UT ($45,320)
--- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI ($42,170)
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($40,030)
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