Lowest-paying jobs in Chicago
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 Chicago. 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. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: 7,130 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
- Median annual wage: $32,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.60
- Total employment: 750 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $32,380
- Median hourly wage: $15.57
- Total employment: 2,320 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $32,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.56
- Total employment: 240 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,280
- Median hourly wage: $15.52
- Total employment: 7,590 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Barbers
- Median annual wage: $32,260
- Median hourly wage: $15.51
- Total employment: Not available
#44. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $32,140
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40,530 people (9.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $32,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.45
- Total employment: 660 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Home health and personal care aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $32,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.45
- Total employment: 82,340 people (18.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $32,040
- Median hourly wage: $15.40
- Total employment: 220 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $31,730
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 3,020 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,720
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 410 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 9,300 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Makeup artists, theatrical and performance
- Median annual wage: $31,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 70 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Photographic process workers and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $31,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Gambling and sports book writers and runners
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 102,020 people (23.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $31,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 2,360 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $31,280
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 90 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $30,870
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 8,970 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,840
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 450 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $30,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 100 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 4,460 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 26,640 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,360
- Median hourly wage: $14.60
- Total employment: 1,880 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 4,510 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Aircraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: Not available
#23. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 10,610 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 8,330 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $29,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 11,510 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Sewers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,550
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 440 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $29,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.19
- Total employment: 16,840 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.18
- Total employment: 89,820 people (20.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $29,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 3,280 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 1,430 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Gambling cage workers
- Median annual wage: $29,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 510 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $28,970
- Median hourly wage: $13.93
- Total employment: 11,540 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 11,830 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $28,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 20,130 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 92,840 people (21.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 4,910 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Shampooers
- Median annual wage: $28,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.64
- Total employment: 730 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,180
- Median hourly wage: $13.55
- Total employment: 7,750 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 660 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 6,170 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 4,650 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 59,540 people (13.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $27,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 1,030 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $26,020
- Median hourly wage: $12.51
- Total employment: 430 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Gambling dealers
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
