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1 / 50#50. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 200 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Fort Collins
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 Fort Collins. 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. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $36,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 80 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $35,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 80 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 240 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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5 / 50#46. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 280 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 860 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Metal workers and plastic workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $35,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 790 people (4.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,110
- Median hourly wage: $16.88
- Total employment: 1,080 people (6.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $34,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 190 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Finist4 // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $34,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.70
- Total employment: 180 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $34,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 310 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $34,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 150 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jason Person // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,830
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 310 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $33,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.26
- Total employment: 130 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $33,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 1,070 people (6.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $33,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.14
- Total employment: 160 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $33,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 2,020 people (11.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
22 / 50#28. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 340 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 340 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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24 / 50#27. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 130 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $33,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $33,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,020 people (6.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,900
- Median hourly wage: $15.82
- Total employment: 170 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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28 / 50#23. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $32,730
- Median hourly wage: $15.73
- Total employment: 1,980 people (11.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,580
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: 240 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $32,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 380 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,090
- Median hourly wage: $15.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $31,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $31,590
- Median hourly wage: $15.19
- Total employment: 130 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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34 / 50#17. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $31,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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35 / 50#16. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $31,420
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 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: $31,210
- Median hourly wage: $15.01
- Total employment: 890 people (5.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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37 / 50#14. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 330 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 6,170 people (36.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 510 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $30,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.71
- Total employment: 960 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $30,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 850 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,210
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 3,400 people (20.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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43 / 50#8. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 500 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 2,970 people (17.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 450 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 5,250 people (30.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 440 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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48 / 50#3. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 180 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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49 / 50#2. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $29,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 670 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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