Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $38,960
- Median hourly wage: $18.73
- Total employment: 700 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Portland, Maine
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 Portland. 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.
You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Portland, Maine
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $38,930
- Median hourly wage: $18.71
- Total employment: 440 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $38,750
- Median hourly wage: $18.63
- Total employment: 890 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $38,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.50
- Total employment: 4,510 people (15.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $38,370
- Median hourly wage: $18.45
- Total employment: 100 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Portland, Maine
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $38,310
- Median hourly wage: $18.42
- Total employment: 200 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
O.PASH // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $38,200
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $38,190
- Median hourly wage: $18.36
- Total employment: 320 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $37,980
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 7,740 people (27.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.17
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Best public high schools in the Portland, Maine metro area
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
11 / 50#39. Tire repairers and changers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,700
- Median hourly wage: $18.13
- Total employment: 120 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,700
- Median hourly wage: $18.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
13 / 50#37. Telemarketers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 120 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 2,330 people (8.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Portland, Maine area by diners
Carlovis // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $37,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $37,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 100 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 340 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 2,420 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Portland, Maine
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $36,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 440 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#27. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 450 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 8,460 people (29.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 590 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Portland, Maine
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 770 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 630 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#22. Preschool teachers, except special education (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.63
- Total employment: 680 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cooks, short order (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 320 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 190 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in the Portland, Maine area by diners
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $36,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 210 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $36,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 860 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 470 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $35,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 230 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Portland, Maine
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 1,120 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 910 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 7,390 people (26.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 2,030 people (7.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 6,120 people (21.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Portland, Maine
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 640 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: Not available
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: Not available
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $33,790
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,740
- Median hourly wage: $15.74
- Total employment: 210 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Portland, Maine
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 190 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SGr // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $31,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $31,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 150 people (0.53 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for burgers in the Portland, Maine area by diners
