giocalde // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $38,280
- Median hourly wage: $18.40
- Total employment: 410 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Honolulu
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 Honolulu. 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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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $38,250
- Median hourly wage: $18.39
- Total employment: 640 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $38,220
- Median hourly wage: $18.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Interpreters and translators
- Median annual wage: $38,050
- Median hourly wage: $18.29
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kelvn // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Passenger attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.22
- Total employment: 190 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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giocalde // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $37,830
- Median hourly wage: $18.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,820
- Median hourly wage: $18.18
- Total employment: 5,300 people (11.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,720
- Median hourly wage: $18.14
- Total employment: 940 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $37,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: Not available
Leika production // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $37,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.02
- Total employment: 320 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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zhu difeng // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $37,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 810 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 3,320 people (7.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cooks, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 600 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 450 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $36,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 4,290 people (9.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.62
- Total employment: 550 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $36,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.48
- Total employment: 1,480 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,360
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 260 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $35,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 210 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $35,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 2,020 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 460 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $35,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 180 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 11,950 people (26.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 1,210 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,530
- Median hourly wage: $17.08
- Total employment: 7,200 people (16.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Parilov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 100 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,100 people (9.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 400 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 2,370 people (5.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $35,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: Not available
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $34,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 2,770 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 7,250 people (16.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $34,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 200 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $33,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 1,430 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $33,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 500 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $33,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 370 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 1,400 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $32,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.51
- Total employment: 940 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Viktoriia Hnatiuk // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Travel agents
- Median annual wage: $32,090
- Median hourly wage: $15.43
- Total employment: 340 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $31,260
- Median hourly wage: $15.03
- Total employment: 280 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 1,070 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $30,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 600 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $30,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 18,970 people (42.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 360 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Cineberg // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Helpers, construction trades, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 200 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Office and administrative support workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 1,470 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 390 people (0.89 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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