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1 / 50#50. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $36,270
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 360 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Owensboro
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 Owensboro. 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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Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Phlebotomists
- Median annual wage: $36,130
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 90 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 50 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 80 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $35,460
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 70 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 380 people (7.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $35,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 390 people (7.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,030
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 910 people (18.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $34,980
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 120 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 140 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,620
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 120 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 70 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 300 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,790
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $33,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.01
- Total employment: 200 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#30. Chefs and head cooks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,030
- Median hourly wage: $15.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Butchers and meat cutters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,030
- Median hourly wage: $15.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $32,040
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 170 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $31,800
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 600 people (12.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 1,130 people (23.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 370 people (7.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 430 people (8.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $30,050
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 290 people (6.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 490 people (10.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $29,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 190 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 1,510 people (31.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $28,750
- Median hourly wage: $13.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 840 people (17.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 350 people (7.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 130 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,420
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 240 people (5.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $26,820
- Median hourly wage: $12.90
- Total employment: 60 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $26,740
- Median hourly wage: $12.86
- Total employment: 140 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $26,370
- Median hourly wage: $12.68
- Total employment: 1,050 people (21.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $26,080
- Median hourly wage: $12.54
- Total employment: 1,190 people (24.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $25,840
- Median hourly wage: $12.42
- Total employment: 90 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $25,050
- Median hourly wage: $12.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $24,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.62
- Total employment: 230 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $23,930
- Median hourly wage: $11.50
- Total employment: 460 people (9.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,160
- Median hourly wage: $11.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $22,990
- Median hourly wage: $11.05
- Total employment: 180 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $22,750
- Median hourly wage: $10.94
- Total employment: 500 people (10.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $22,590
- Median hourly wage: $10.86
- Total employment: 940 people (19.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $19,570
- Median hourly wage: $9.41
- Total employment: 140 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $17,540
- Median hourly wage: $8.43
- Total employment: 80 people (1.67 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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