Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $38,370
- Median hourly wage: $18.45
- Total employment: 320 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Bridgeport
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 Bridgeport. 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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Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $38,270
- Median hourly wage: $18.40
- Total employment: 120 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $38,260
- Median hourly wage: $18.40
- Total employment: 370 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $38,160
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: 380 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Median annual wage: $38,030
- Median hourly wage: $18.29
- Total employment: Not available
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,990
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 780 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $37,930
- Median hourly wage: $18.24
- Total employment: Not available
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,870
- Median hourly wage: $18.21
- Total employment: 200 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,780
- Median hourly wage: $18.16
- Total employment: 4,770 people (11.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $37,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,850 people (12.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
11 / 50#39. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 6,460 people (16.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Office and administrative support workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 960 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $37,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.99
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 1,410 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $37,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 940 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Suteren // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $36,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 6,070 people (15.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 2,920 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.60
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 3,130 people (7.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 1,100 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $36,470
- Median hourly wage: $17.53
- Total employment: 350 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $36,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $36,290
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 1,740 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,230
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 1,370 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kanemme6 // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $36,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 180 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $36,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 150 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $36,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 370 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $36,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 280 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
31 / 50#19. Physical therapist aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 180 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Recreation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 1,410 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 12,240 people (30.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 180 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $35,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 290 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,500
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 230 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $35,460
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 420 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 880 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $35,160
- Median hourly wage: $16.91
- Total employment: 1,940 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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shocky // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $34,980
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 7,570 people (18.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,870
- Median hourly wage: $16.77
- Total employment: 8,430 people (20.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 1,700 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $34,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 250 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $34,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 450 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $32,900
- Median hourly wage: $15.82
- Total employment: 870 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,670
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 670 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $32,640
- Median hourly wage: $15.69
- Total employment: 1,500 people (3.73 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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