Lowest-paying jobs in Cape Coral

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 Cape Coral. 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.

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Security guards

- Median annual wage: $35,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.88
- Total employment: 2,400 people (7.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#48. Sewing machine operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 110 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Switchboard operators, including answering service (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Word processors and typists

- Median annual wage: $34,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.70
- Total employment: 170 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $34,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 180 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $34,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 320 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitreel // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Food batchmakers

- Median annual wage: $34,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 3,660 people (12.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $34,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 600 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 820 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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kanemme6 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#39. Tire repairers and changers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $33,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 250 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)

- Median annual wage: $33,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 1,010 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 1,030 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Sales and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 140 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

- Median annual wage: $33,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.15
- Total employment: 180 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Motor vehicle operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $33,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 150 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 210 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $33,310
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 3,050 people (10.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Concierges

- Median annual wage: $33,090
- Median hourly wage: $15.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $33,010
- Median hourly wage: $15.87
- Total employment: 540 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service

- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

create jobs 51 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Legislators

- Median annual wage: $32,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $32,300
- Median hourly wage: $15.53
- Total employment: 300 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants

- Median annual wage: $32,210
- Median hourly wage: $15.48
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Carlovis // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Tour and travel guides

- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $31,940
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 1,990 people (6.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $31,880
- Median hourly wage: $15.33
- Total employment: 2,410 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Material moving workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Educational instruction and library workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $31,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Krysja // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Funeral attendants

- Median annual wage: $30,940
- Median hourly wage: $14.88
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $30,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 360 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $30,880
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 12,030 people (40.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

guruXOX // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Camera operators, television, video, and film

- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $30,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.74
- Total employment: 230 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $30,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 500 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $30,370
- Median hourly wage: $14.60
- Total employment: 410 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $30,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.48
- Total employment: 350 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Teaching assistants, postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $29,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $29,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 1,230 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 7,870 people (26.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $29,540
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 1,430 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $29,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 1,080 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $29,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 6,660 people (22.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $28,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 180 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 7,590 people (25.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 1,130 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $27,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 1,520 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $27,300
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: 1,010 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)