O.PASH // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $32,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Wichita
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 Wichita. 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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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 440 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $32,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.55
- Total employment: 1,710 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $32,240
- Median hourly wage: $15.50
- Total employment: 290 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.44
- Total employment: Not available
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,490
- Median hourly wage: $15.14
- Total employment: 240 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 230 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 230 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $31,350
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 2,970 people (9.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 3,510 people (11.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $31,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.93
- Total employment: 200 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $30,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 1,270 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $30,540
- Median hourly wage: $14.68
- Total employment: 420 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 7,060 people (23.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $30,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.48
- Total employment: 120 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 520 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
17 / 50#33. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 360 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Funeral attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.37
- Total employment: 540 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 1,360 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $29,580
- Median hourly wage: $14.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,780 people (15.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 1,410 people (4.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 1,260 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.89
- Total employment: 5,350 people (17.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $28,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 680 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $28,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 410 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.79
- Total employment: 360 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $28,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 160 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $28,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,260
- Median hourly wage: $13.59
- Total employment: 460 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Parking attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 610 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $28,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 290 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 770 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 700 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,570
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 1,530 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.16
- Total employment: 7,750 people (25.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 10,510 people (34.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,590
- Median hourly wage: $12.78
- Total employment: 550 people (1.8 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: $26,360
- Median hourly wage: $12.68
- Total employment: 1,000 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $26,170
- Median hourly wage: $12.58
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $23,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.14
- Total employment: 150 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $21,780
- Median hourly wage: $10.47
- Total employment: 740 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $21,780
- Median hourly wage: $10.47
- Total employment: Not available
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $21,670
- Median hourly wage: $10.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $20,510
- Median hourly wage: $9.86
- Total employment: 110 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Grusho Anna // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Set and exhibit designers
- Median annual wage: $16,730
- Median hourly wage: $8.05
- 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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