Lowest-paying jobs in Rockford
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 Rockford. 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. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Median annual wage: $32,940
- Median hourly wage: $15.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $32,910
- Median hourly wage: $15.82
- Total employment: 170 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 5,840 people (42.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $32,780
- Median hourly wage: $15.76
- Total employment: 230 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $32,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $32,660
- Median hourly wage: $15.70
- Total employment: 170 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $32,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 60 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $32,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $32,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $31,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $31,860
- Median hourly wage: $15.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $31,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 1,170 people (8.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $31,630
- Median hourly wage: $15.21
- Total employment: 550 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Photographers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $31,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Interior designers
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.68
- Total employment: 240 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $30,410
- Median hourly wage: $14.62
- Total employment: 210 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,390
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 180 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.53
- Total employment: 2,030 people (14.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,940
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 320 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.38
- Total employment: 1,160 people (8.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 230 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $29,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.33
- Total employment: 2,190 people (15.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 3,140 people (22.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $29,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 150 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $29,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 270 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 250 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $28,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.93
- Total employment: 130 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,970
- Median hourly wage: $13.93
- Total employment: 530 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $28,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,170 people (8.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 70 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,050
- Median hourly wage: $13.49
- Total employment: 3,610 people (26.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 230 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $27,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 120 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $27,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 80 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.30
- Total employment: 3,270 people (23.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.11
- Total employment: 760 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $27,170
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 200 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 520 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $26,970
- Median hourly wage: $12.97
- Total employment: 760 people (5.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $26,910
- Median hourly wage: $12.94
- Total employment: 210 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $26,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 1,860 people (13.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $26,650
- Median hourly wage: $12.81
- Total employment: 590 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $26,450
- Median hourly wage: $12.72
- Total employment: 170 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $26,270
- Median hourly wage: $12.63
- Total employment: 300 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $25,900
- Median hourly wage: $12.45
- Total employment: 460 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 140 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Office and administrative support workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
