GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $40,800
- Median hourly wage: $19.62
- Total employment: 550 people (12.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Decatur, Illinois
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 Decatur. 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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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $40,640
- Median hourly wage: $19.54
- Total employment: 190 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Milkovasa // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $40,580
- Median hourly wage: $19.51
- Total employment: 140 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $40,540
- Median hourly wage: $19.49
- Total employment: 150 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,410
- Median hourly wage: $19.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $39,140
- Median hourly wage: $18.82
- Total employment: 460 people (10.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $38,860
- Median hourly wage: $18.68
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $38,570
- Median hourly wage: $18.54
- Total employment: 200 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $38,500
- Median hourly wage: $18.51
- Total employment: 170 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $37,080
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 320 people (7.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $36,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 60 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $36,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 190 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,200
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: Not available
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $36,130
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 180 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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zhu difeng // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $36,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 50 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Training and development specialists
- Median annual wage: $35,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 170 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
18 / 50#32. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 800 people (17.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Parts salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 90 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $35,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $34,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 150 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,620
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 700 people (15.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
24 / 50#26. Cooks, restaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 360 people (7.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
26 / 50#24. Stockers and order fillers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 670 people (14.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Substitute teachers, short-term (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 270 people (6.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 50 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $33,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 250 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,880
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Total employment: 920 people (20.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $32,640
- Median hourly wage: $15.69
- Total employment: 70 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.02
- Total employment: 150 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $31,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.02
- Total employment: 70 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 80 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $31,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 80 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.94
- Total employment: 110 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $30,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 250 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $30,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 80 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 70 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 80 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,720
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 1,160 people (25.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,580
- Median hourly wage: $14.22
- Total employment: 90 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 1,090 people (24.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 100 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Waiters and waitresses (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 590 people (12.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Coaches and scouts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Bartenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 320 people (6.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.33 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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