Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Educational instruction and library workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,970
- Median hourly wage: $18.73
- Total employment: 190 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Worcester
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 Worcester. 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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Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $38,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.70
- Total employment: 100 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $38,390
- Median hourly wage: $18.46
- Total employment: 1,060 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
4 / 50#46. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,280
- Median hourly wage: $18.40
- Total employment: 640 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 5,120 people (14.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,120
- Median hourly wage: $18.33
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $38,020
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $38,000
- Median hourly wage: $18.27
- Total employment: 90 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $37,840
- Median hourly wage: $18.19
- Total employment: 620 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,660
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: Not available
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $37,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 1,070 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,240
- Median hourly wage: $17.90
- Total employment: 560 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 5,960 people (16.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 1,470 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 870 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $36,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 110 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 180 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MS Mikel // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,730
- Median hourly wage: $17.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $36,650
- Median hourly wage: $17.62
- Total employment: 270 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 1,420 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $36,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 130 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $36,310
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 470 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 1,120 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $36,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 1,070 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 640 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $35,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 310 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,900
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 930 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $35,650
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
30 / 50#20. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 320 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cooks, fast food (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 630 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $35,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 8,530 people (24.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tong_stocker // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Helpers--carpenters
- Median annual wage: $35,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $35,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 4,370 people (12.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $35,160
- Median hourly wage: $16.91
- Total employment: 1,390 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 380 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 780 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $34,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 120 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $34,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 300 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $34,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 8,710 people (24.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $34,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 1,960 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,370
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 910 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $34,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.34
- Total employment: 7,540 people (21.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 510 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 400 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $33,150
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 250 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,590
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 2,740 people (7.78 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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