PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 810 people (13.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Niles
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 Niles. 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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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $36,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 300 people (5.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 70 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Art of pixels // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $36,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 60 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $36,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 120 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,320
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 290 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 1,370 people (23.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 780 people (13.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 1,360 people (22.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 70 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Susan Law Cain // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Median annual wage: $35,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: Not available
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 210 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 190 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $35,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 120 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 160 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $35,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 200 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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New Africa // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 270 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 100 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 870 people (14.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 180 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 420 people (7.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 90 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $33,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 110 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $32,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.63
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 1,510 people (25.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $31,350
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 120 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $30,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.74
- Total employment: 130 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $30,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 600 people (10.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $30,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 80 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#12. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 300 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 310 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.49
- Total employment: 120 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $29,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 1,090 people (18.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 1,560 people (26.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 270 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 2,010 people (33.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 140 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 220 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 240 people (4.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $25,280
- Median hourly wage: $12.15
- Total employment: 90 people (1.55 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: $25,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 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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