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1 / 50#50. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $39,020
- Median hourly wage: $18.76
- Total employment: 210 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in California, Maryland
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in California, Maryland. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $38,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.70
- Total employment: 220 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $38,600
- Median hourly wage: $18.56
- Total employment: 60 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $38,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.48
- Total employment: 340 people (7.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $38,410
- Median hourly wage: $18.47
- Total employment: 60 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $37,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $37,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 50 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.81
- Total employment: 270 people (5.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 90 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,790
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 100 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $36,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 660 people (13.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,700
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 120 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.63
- Total employment: 90 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 560 people (11.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,080
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 100 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,450
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 380 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 220 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 60 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 550 people (11.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $34,550
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 90 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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24 / 50#27. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $32,920
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 90 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,840
- Median hourly wage: $15.31
- Total employment: 330 people (7.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Motortion Films // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,590
- Median hourly wage: $15.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $31,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $31,290
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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29 / 50#22. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 170 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.88
- Total employment: 110 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 120 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 110 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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33 / 50#18. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 370 people (7.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 280 people (5.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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37 / 50#14. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $29,560
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 150 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 160 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 1,010 people (21.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,510
- Median hourly wage: $13.71
- Total employment: 510 people (10.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 990 people (21.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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43 / 50#8. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.58
- Total employment: 110 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.49
- Total employment: 1,170 people (24.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,650
- Median hourly wage: $13.30
- Total employment: 90 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.19
- Total employment: 50 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $27,370
- Median hourly wage: $13.16
- Total employment: 120 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $27,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 220 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 160 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $26,980
- Median hourly wage: $12.97
- Total employment: 140 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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