MAVV // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $37,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Elkhart
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 Elkhart. 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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shocky // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $37,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
evgenii mitroshin // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Median annual wage: $37,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 340 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $37,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 480 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $37,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.84
- Total employment: 110 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 1,260 people (9.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $36,810
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 170 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 430 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MS Mikel // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 160 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $36,320
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $36,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 510 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $35,670
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 1,960 people (15.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Standret // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 220 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $35,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 710 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 790 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 330 people (2.6 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: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 910 people (7.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 120 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 110 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $32,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.60
- Total employment: 600 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $32,390
- Median hourly wage: $15.57
- Total employment: 110 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,310
- Median hourly wage: $15.54
- Total employment: 2,220 people (17.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $32,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.44
- Total employment: 340 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,980
- Median hourly wage: $15.38
- Total employment: 70 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 70 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.88
- Total employment: 150 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 160 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $30,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 490 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 400 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $29,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 160 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $29,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 120 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.90
- Total employment: 2,260 people (17.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $28,880
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 2,760 people (21.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,340
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 100 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,120
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 210 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $27,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 1,040 people (8.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $27,680
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 360 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $27,530
- Median hourly wage: $13.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,280
- Median hourly wage: $12.64
- Total employment: 80 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Median annual wage: $25,120
- Median hourly wage: $12.08
- Total employment: 150 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $23,420
- Median hourly wage: $11.26
- Total employment: 230 people (1.82 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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