Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $37,910
- Median hourly wage: $18.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Jackson, Michigan
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 Jackson. 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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2 / 50#49. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,820
- Median hourly wage: $18.18
- Total employment: 340 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Efired // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $37,760
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 90 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $37,640
- Median hourly wage: $18.09
- Total employment: 230 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $37,620
- Median hourly wage: $18.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $37,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.99
- Total employment: 280 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 270 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $37,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.85
- Total employment: 70 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Milkovasa // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 220 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,900
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 580 people (10.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $36,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.72
- Total employment: 410 people (7.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $36,810
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 220 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 140 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.62
- Total employment: 60 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DuxX // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 280 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $36,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 80 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 230 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 150 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $35,500
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 760 people (13.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 460 people (8.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 100 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 120 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,990
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 110 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 90 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,170
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 210 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $34,140
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 120 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $33,590
- Median hourly wage: $16.15
- Total employment: 530 people (9.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $33,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.13
- Total employment: 90 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $33,450
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 1,070 people (19.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $33,240
- Median hourly wage: $15.98
- Total employment: 1,300 people (23.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $32,680
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 110 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 1,410 people (25.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $31,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 90 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,840
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 170 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#12. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 650 people (11.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,180
- Median hourly wage: $14.03
- Total employment: 150 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $28,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 310 people (5.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,780
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 1,690 people (29.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 250 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $28,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.60
- Total employment: 190 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 1,190 people (21.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 250 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $27,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.22
- Total employment: 170 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $25,810
- Median hourly wage: $12.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 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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