Lowest-paying jobs in New York City
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in New York City. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 25,180 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 15,920 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 1,970 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $35,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.22
- Total employment: 143,270 people (15.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 117,810 people (12.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,650
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 64,520 people (7.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $35,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 29,870 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 50,100 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $35,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 6,830 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Agricultural technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: Not available
#40. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $35,030
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 12,480 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $35,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 4,540 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $34,940
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 970 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 37,900 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $34,870
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 6,650 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Gambling service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 560 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 231,800 people (25.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.63
- Total employment: 23,600 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 12,040 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.53
- Total employment: 30,780 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 6,290 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 488,640 people (53.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 17,480 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers
- Median annual wage: $33,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 340 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,830
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 6,160 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,660
- Median hourly wage: $16.18
- Total employment: 2,790 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $33,650
- Median hourly wage: $16.18
- Total employment: 4,890 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,480
- Median hourly wage: $16.10
- Total employment: 13,490 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $33,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.95
- Total employment: 6,290 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Grounds maintenance workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,090
- Median hourly wage: $15.91
- Total employment: 960 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,070
- Median hourly wage: $15.90
- Total employment: 2,800 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Gambling cage workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,070
- Median hourly wage: $15.90
- Total employment: 220 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,960
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 820 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $32,800
- Median hourly wage: $15.77
- Total employment: 12,700 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $32,740
- Median hourly wage: $15.74
- Total employment: 2,030 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $32,550
- Median hourly wage: $15.65
- Total employment: 172,480 people (18.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Median annual wage: $32,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.51
- Total employment: Not available
#12. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $31,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 164,140 people (17.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,770
- Median hourly wage: $15.28
- Total employment: 11,470 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $31,410
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 21,220 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $31,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 6,080 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 23,620 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 6,540 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.59
- Total employment: 8,560 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
- Median annual wage: $30,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 2,530 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: Not available
#3. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 730 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 6,840 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Shampooers
- Median annual wage: $29,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 1,430 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
