zhu difeng // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 420 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Lakeland
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 Lakeland. 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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Kzenon // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Metal workers and plastic workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,140
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $34,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 300 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.34
- Total employment: 210 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $33,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.26
- Total employment: 300 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 170 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $33,620
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 330 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 1,760 people (6.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $33,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $33,060
- Median hourly wage: $15.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $32,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 220 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 100 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $32,430
- Median hourly wage: $15.59
- Total employment: 150 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Helpers--roofers
- Median annual wage: $32,060
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $31,890
- Median hourly wage: $15.33
- Total employment: 390 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $31,740
- Median hourly wage: $15.26
- Total employment: 820 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $31,520
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: Not available
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $31,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 520 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $30,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 100 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $30,870
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 2,150 people (8.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $30,840
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 230 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 1,610 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 760 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,470
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 8,040 people (30.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 3,560 people (13.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 340 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $29,830
- Median hourly wage: $14.34
- Total employment: 690 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 310 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 2,320 people (8.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Blanscape // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Conveyor operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $29,560
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,470
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 520 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 360 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $29,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $29,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 420 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.89
- Total employment: 3,620 people (13.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 650 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $28,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 310 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 520 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
40 / 50#10. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 5,410 people (20.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BearFotos // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Graders and sorters, agricultural products (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $28,260
- Median hourly wage: $13.59
- Total employment: 870 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 520 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $28,030
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,740 people (6.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
guteksk7 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
- Median annual wage: $27,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Martin Smith // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,840
- Median hourly wage: $13.39
- Total employment: 230 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,500
- Median hourly wage: $13.22
- Total employment: 870 people (3.31 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: $27,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 630 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.11
- Total employment: 7,590 people (29.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $27,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.08
- Total employment: 200 people (0.78 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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