SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 730 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Des Moines
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 Des Moines. 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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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 5,620 people (13.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 1,720 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arsenii Palivoda // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 6,410 people (15.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $34,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 160 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
7 / 50#43. Coaches and scouts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 860 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Floral designers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: Not available
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $33,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 360 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $33,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.04
- Total employment: 290 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $33,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 490 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 5,010 people (12.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,140
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 430 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $32,840
- Median hourly wage: $15.79
- Total employment: 270 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,760
- Median hourly wage: $15.75
- Total employment: 550 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $32,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $32,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.49
- Total employment: 1,820 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $32,100
- Median hourly wage: $15.44
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $31,390
- Median hourly wage: $15.09
- Total employment: 940 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 10,060 people (24.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 700 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $31,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,840
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,810
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 790 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.74
- Total employment: 790 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $30,560
- Median hourly wage: $14.69
- Total employment: 1,460 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $30,320
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Community and social service specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.54
- Total employment: 1,650 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $30,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.53
- Total employment: 250 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.46
- Total employment: 950 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.33
- Total employment: 490 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 9,420 people (23.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 1,310 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $29,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 1,070 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 9,590 people (23.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,840
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 5,840 people (14.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,320
- Median hourly wage: $13.14
- Total employment: 1,450 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $26,520
- Median hourly wage: $12.75
- Total employment: 270 people (0.66 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: $25,800
- Median hourly wage: $12.40
- Total employment: 790 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $25,700
- Median hourly wage: $12.35
- Total employment: 320 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $23,430
- Median hourly wage: $11.26
- Total employment: 2,020 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $22,790
- Median hourly wage: $10.96
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $22,180
- Median hourly wage: $10.66
- Total employment: Not available
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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