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1 / 50#50. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 610 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Peoria
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 Peoria. 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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2 / 50#49. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $35,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.93
- Total employment: 3,130 people (18.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 1,020 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 600 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: 920 people (5.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 80 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 2,140 people (12.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,990
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 4,160 people (25.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 140 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 90 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 110 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $34,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,970 people (11.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $34,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 230 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.53
- Total employment: 1,710 people (10.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 200 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $33,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $33,660
- Median hourly wage: $16.18
- Total employment: 970 people (5.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Median annual wage: $33,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $33,260
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $32,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 510 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,210
- Median hourly wage: $15.48
- Total employment: 3,780 people (22.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $32,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 440 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $32,170
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 90 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Miscellaneous construction and related workers
- Median annual wage: $32,060
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 30 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,510
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 600 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $31,460
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 200 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 580 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $31,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.94
- Total employment: 240 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.89
- Total employment: 200 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,900
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 420 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $30,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 220 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $30,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 590 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 350 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Gambling dealers
- Median annual wage: $30,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: Not available
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36 / 50#15. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $30,240
- Median hourly wage: $14.54
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 560 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.51
- Total employment: 300 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 3,940 people (23.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.28
- Total employment: 3,460 people (20.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 320 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.18
- Total employment: 70 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $29,440
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 140 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 450 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 290 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Photographers
- Median annual wage: $29,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 430 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Waiters and waitresses (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 2,420 people (14.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 1,300 people (7.86 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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