Undrey // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $36,810
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Lafayette, Indiana
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 Lafayette. 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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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $36,700
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 260 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 850 people (8.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Median annual wage: $36,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.48
- Total employment: 210 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 460 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 80 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SGr // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $36,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 100 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 170 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,790
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 290 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 1,930 people (18.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $35,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 270 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 530 people (5.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.70
- Total employment: 150 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 210 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,490
- Median hourly wage: $16.58
- Total employment: 300 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 1,740 people (17.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 80 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $32,940
- Median hourly wage: $15.84
- Total employment: 270 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $32,730
- Median hourly wage: $15.74
- Total employment: 100 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $32,600
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 130 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $32,330
- Median hourly wage: $15.54
- Total employment: 510 people (4.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,920
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 1,680 people (16.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Automotive and watercraft service attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,450
- Median hourly wage: $15.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,450
- Median hourly wage: $15.12
- Total employment: 140 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 910 people (8.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $31,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 880 people (8.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 480 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $30,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 190 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 170 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 280 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 2,590 people (25.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 80 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 400 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $28,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 100 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,450
- Median hourly wage: $13.68
- Total employment: 1,980 people (19.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 420 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 240 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,750
- Median hourly wage: $13.34
- Total employment: 260 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,400
- Median hourly wage: $13.17
- Total employment: 4,310 people (42.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $27,370
- Median hourly wage: $13.16
- Total employment: 1,320 people (12.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 200 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,360
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 220 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $25,730
- Median hourly wage: $12.37
- Total employment: 290 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $24,990
- Median hourly wage: $12.02
- Total employment: 160 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $24,710
- Median hourly wage: $11.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $23,780
- Median hourly wage: $11.44
- Total employment: 340 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $22,540
- Median hourly wage: $10.84
- Total employment: 460 people (4.51 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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