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1 / 50#50. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $34,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.75
- Total employment: 190 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Decatur
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 Decatur. 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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2 / 50#49. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 100 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $34,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 30 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 110 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,660
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 90 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Milkovasa // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $34,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.63
- Total employment: 310 people (5.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 270 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: 380 people (6.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $33,550
- Median hourly wage: $16.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 80 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,900
- Median hourly wage: $15.34
- Total employment: 1,090 people (18.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $31,710
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 70 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $31,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 50 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,390
- Median hourly wage: $15.09
- Total employment: 1,090 people (18.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,310
- Median hourly wage: $15.05
- Total employment: 260 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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evgenii mitroshin // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Median annual wage: $31,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.02
- Total employment: 250 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 150 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.80
- Total employment: 460 people (7.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,770
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 1,460 people (24.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $30,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $30,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 330 people (5.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $29,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 220 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 70 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 100 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,610
- Median hourly wage: $13.76
- Total employment: 80 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 190 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $28,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 90 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.28
- Total employment: 200 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $27,600
- Median hourly wage: $13.27
- Total employment: 1,010 people (17.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.16
- Total employment: 760 people (12.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $26,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.96
- Total employment: 1,340 people (22.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $25,600
- Median hourly wage: $12.31
- Total employment: 360 people (6.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $25,520
- Median hourly wage: $12.27
- Total employment: 1,050 people (17.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $24,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $24,570
- Median hourly wage: $11.81
- Total employment: 120 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santypan // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $24,350
- Median hourly wage: $11.71
- Total employment: 90 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $23,870
- Median hourly wage: $11.47
- Total employment: 270 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $23,730
- Median hourly wage: $11.41
- Total employment: 370 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,190
- Median hourly wage: $11.15
- Total employment: 80 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $22,380
- Median hourly wage: $10.76
- Total employment: 100 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $21,840
- Median hourly wage: $10.50
- Total employment: 90 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $21,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $21,650
- Median hourly wage: $10.41
- Total employment: 920 people (15.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $21,260
- Median hourly wage: $10.22
- Total employment: 750 people (12.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $18,090
- Median hourly wage: $8.70
- Total employment: 260 people (4.35 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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