giocalde // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $30,180
- Median hourly wage: $14.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Dothan
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 Dothan. 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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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Parts salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 250 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $29,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.37
- Total employment: 180 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 610 people (10.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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New Africa // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.99
- Total employment: 440 people (7.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 220 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $28,770
- Median hourly wage: $13.83
- Total employment: 210 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,530
- Median hourly wage: $13.71
- Total employment: 160 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,500
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 580 people (9.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Agricultural inspectors
- Median annual wage: $28,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.68
- Total employment: 90 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $28,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 100 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 70 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $27,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 2,340 people (38.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $27,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 230 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $27,620
- Median hourly wage: $13.28
- Total employment: 80 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Agricultural equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $27,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.14
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,210
- Median hourly wage: $13.08
- Total employment: 140 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,160
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 90 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $27,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 890 people (14.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $27,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.00
- Total employment: 460 people (7.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $27,010
- Median hourly wage: $12.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $26,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $26,680
- Median hourly wage: $12.83
- Total employment: 230 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,660
- Median hourly wage: $12.82
- Total employment: 680 people (11.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,250
- Median hourly wage: $12.62
- Total employment: 230 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $25,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.39
- Total employment: 840 people (13.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $25,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.19
- Total employment: 150 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $24,640
- Median hourly wage: $11.85
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $24,510
- Median hourly wage: $11.78
- Total employment: 90 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $24,410
- Median hourly wage: $11.73
- Total employment: 200 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $23,610
- Median hourly wage: $11.35
- Total employment: 1,820 people (30.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $23,220
- Median hourly wage: $11.17
- Total employment: 280 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $22,960
- Median hourly wage: $11.04
- Total employment: 140 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $22,880
- Median hourly wage: $11.00
- Total employment: 790 people (13.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $22,650
- Median hourly wage: $10.89
- Total employment: 130 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $22,600
- Median hourly wage: $10.87
- Total employment: 520 people (8.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $22,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,290
- Median hourly wage: $10.72
- Total employment: 1,200 people (19.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $21,830
- Median hourly wage: $10.50
- Total employment: 940 people (15.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $21,750
- Median hourly wage: $10.46
- Total employment: 170 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $21,570
- Median hourly wage: $10.37
- Total employment: 160 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $21,300
- Median hourly wage: $10.24
- Total employment: 130 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $20,940
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $18,100
- Median hourly wage: $8.70
- Total employment: 220 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $16,700
- Median hourly wage: $8.03
- Total employment: 370 people (6.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $16,640
- Median hourly wage: $8.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 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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