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1 / 50#50. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.12
- Total employment: 1,700 people (8.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Boulder
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 Boulder. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $37,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 730 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $37,590
- Median hourly wage: $18.07
- Total employment: 980 people (5.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $37,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 610 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $37,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: 610 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.81
- Total employment: 1,840 people (9.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,970
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 230 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 250 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,790
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 210 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $36,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 180 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 240 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $36,290
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,160
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,370 people (7.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $35,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Childcare workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 620 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $35,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 90 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 1,130 people (5.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 420 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $35,500
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $35,460
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $35,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 390 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 1,770 people (9.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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24 / 50#27. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 350 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,720
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 180 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $34,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 140 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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27 / 50#24. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,490
- Median hourly wage: $16.58
- Total employment: 330 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $34,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 4,930 people (25.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 470 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 140 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 150 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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32 / 50#19. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $34,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 530 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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33 / 50#18. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 120 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $33,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 4,930 people (25.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.26
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 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: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 670 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $33,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 660 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $33,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 2,990 people (15.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $33,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 2,950 people (15.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Total employment: 610 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
41 / 50#9. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $32,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.76
- Total employment: 130 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Parking attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $32,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.54
- Total employment: 240 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 520 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $31,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.28
- Total employment: 480 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $30,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: Not available
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $30,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.48
- Total employment: 430 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $30,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 280 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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