Lowest-paying jobs in Baltimore

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 Baltimore. 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.

aboutsung // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $36,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 6,420 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 580 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Crossing guards and flaggers

- Median annual wage: $35,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 1,670 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Motortion Films // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Personal care and service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $35,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.16
- Total employment: 1,310 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Graders and sorters, agricultural products

- Median annual wage: $35,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 230 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Pharmacy aides

- Median annual wage: $35,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 350 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $35,530
- Median hourly wage: $17.08
- Total employment: 20,060 people (14.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $35,460
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 760 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $35,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 14,210 people (10.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krysja // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Funeral attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 330 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jason Person // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $35,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 1,870 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#38. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,980
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 3,480 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Animal caretakers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,980
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 2,880 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 19,270 people (14.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $34,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 2,870 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#34. School bus monitors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 670 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Undrey // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Data entry keyers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 1,420 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $34,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 6,870 people (5.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#31. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 1,610 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Childcare workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 3,470 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Sewing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 660 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carlovis // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Tour and travel guides

- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $34,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: 6,150 people (4.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

encierro // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals

- Median annual wage: $33,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 120 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $33,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 1,610 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Pressmaster // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Baggage porters and bellhops

- Median annual wage: $33,890
- Median hourly wage: $16.30
- Total employment: 260 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $33,870
- Median hourly wage: $16.29
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 3,720 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $33,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 35,170 people (26.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $33,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 6,100 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suteren // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Dietetic technicians

- Median annual wage: $33,450
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 470 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

APChanel // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Transportation workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Median annual wage: $33,160
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 1,320 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 990 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $31,880
- Median hourly wage: $15.33
- Total employment: 990 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dragon Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $31,740
- Median hourly wage: $15.26
- Total employment: 3,090 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $31,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 24,540 people (18.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Telemarketers

- Median annual wage: $31,530
- Median hourly wage: $15.16
- Total employment: 370 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Physical therapist aides

- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 450 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#1. Fast food and counter workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 19,600 people (14.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#1. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 1,910 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#1. Religious workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#1. Food processing workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 640 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#1. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#1. Dishwashers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 4,990 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#1. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 2,510 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

hedgehog94 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#1. Shampooers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#1. Cooks, fast food (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 5,090 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

shocky // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#1. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: Not available

Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants (tie)