DuxX // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Anniston
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 Anniston. 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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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 540 people (12.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $33,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $33,150
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Milkovasa // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $32,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.84
- Total employment: 370 people (8.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,890
- Median hourly wage: $15.33
- Total employment: 90 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $31,810
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 60 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $31,280
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 260 people (6.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 100 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $31,090
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 70 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,020
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 1,140 people (26.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $30,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 610 people (14.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $30,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 210 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $30,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.46
- Total employment: 50 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 1,490 people (34.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Standret // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 120 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 140 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 160 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $29,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 50 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $28,600
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 60 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,540
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 460 people (10.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 180 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $28,420
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $27,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: Not available
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $27,760
- Median hourly wage: $13.35
- Total employment: 240 people (5.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $27,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 310 people (7.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 90 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $27,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 170 people (3.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,820
- Median hourly wage: $12.89
- Total employment: 530 people (12.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $26,580
- Median hourly wage: $12.78
- Total employment: 60 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,510
- Median hourly wage: $12.74
- Total employment: 190 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,500
- Median hourly wage: $12.74
- Total employment: 50 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $26,250
- Median hourly wage: $12.62
- Total employment: 120 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $24,860
- Median hourly wage: $11.95
- Total employment: 120 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $24,510
- Median hourly wage: $11.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $23,820
- Median hourly wage: $11.45
- Total employment: 370 people (8.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $23,400
- Median hourly wage: $11.25
- Total employment: 1,400 people (32.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $23,380
- Median hourly wage: $11.24
- Total employment: 820 people (19.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,510
- Median hourly wage: $10.82
- Total employment: 980 people (22.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $22,240
- Median hourly wage: $10.69
- Total employment: 680 people (15.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $22,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $21,950
- Median hourly wage: $10.55
- Total employment: 100 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $21,890
- Median hourly wage: $10.52
- Total employment: 90 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $21,440
- Median hourly wage: $10.31
- Total employment: 120 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $21,210
- Median hourly wage: $10.20
- Total employment: 120 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $21,080
- Median hourly wage: $10.13
- Total employment: 70 people (1.69 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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