Standret // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 190 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Macon
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 Macon. 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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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 120 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 530 people (5.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.35
- Total employment: 1,560 people (16.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 520 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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New Africa // Shutterstock
6 / 50#44. Receptionists and information clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 800 people (8.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: Not available
DuxX // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $33,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 90 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $33,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 160 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $33,030
- Median hourly wage: $15.88
- Total employment: 1,610 people (16.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $32,960
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $32,920
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $32,810
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $32,040
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 70 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $31,600
- Median hourly wage: $15.19
- Total employment: 280 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 60 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $31,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.80
- Total employment: 950 people (10.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 200 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,440
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 500 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,380
- Median hourly wage: $14.60
- Total employment: 1,370 people (14.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $30,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 240 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $30,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 90 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 180 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $29,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 160 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 110 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 270 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $27,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 280 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,890
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 2,850 people (29.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.40
- Total employment: 200 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 100 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,340
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 2,180 people (22.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,190
- Median hourly wage: $13.07
- Total employment: 520 people (5.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $26,850
- Median hourly wage: $12.91
- Total employment: 270 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $26,820
- Median hourly wage: $12.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $26,650
- Median hourly wage: $12.81
- Total employment: 290 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $26,270
- Median hourly wage: $12.63
- Total employment: 190 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $25,790
- Median hourly wage: $12.40
- Total employment: 580 people (6.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $25,050
- Median hourly wage: $12.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $24,130
- Median hourly wage: $11.60
- Total employment: 1,430 people (15.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $23,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 780 people (8.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,920
- Median hourly wage: $11.02
- Total employment: 3,510 people (36.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $20,230
- Median hourly wage: $9.73
- Total employment: 200 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Educational instruction and library workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $18,350
- Median hourly wage: $8.82
- Total employment: 250 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $18,080
- Median hourly wage: $8.69
- Total employment: 1,570 people (16.5 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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