Lucky Business // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,760
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 830 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Minneapolis
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 Minneapolis. 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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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $38,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.59
- Total employment: 7,950 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Adwo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Painting, coating, and decorating workers
- Median annual wage: $38,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.58
- Total employment: 90 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $38,180
- Median hourly wage: $18.36
- Total employment: 3,690 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $38,100
- Median hourly wage: $18.32
- Total employment: 560 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,960
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 26,680 people (13.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $37,920
- Median hourly wage: $18.23
- Total employment: Not available
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $37,880
- Median hourly wage: $18.21
- Total employment: 330 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $37,730
- Median hourly wage: $18.14
- Total employment: 2,210 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $37,700
- Median hourly wage: $18.13
- Total employment: 320 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,640
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 7,160 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $37,570
- Median hourly wage: $18.06
- Total employment: 8,720 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $37,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 2,250 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Barbers
- Median annual wage: $37,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: Not available
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 3,280 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Martin Smith // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.66
- Total employment: 960 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kojala // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Artists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 70 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $36,470
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 230 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 4,640 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 86,260 people (44.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Finist4 // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $36,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 2,800 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 5,870 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nick_Nick // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Gambling and sports book writers and runners
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 110 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 16,060 people (8.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 47,320 people (24.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Cameris // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Taxi drivers
- Median annual wage: $35,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 90 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
O.PASH // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 430 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $35,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 7,290 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $34,890
- Median hourly wage: $16.77
- Total employment: 5,450 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $34,830
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 1,690 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $34,650
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 690 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $34,620
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 37,380 people (19.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 31,840 people (16.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $34,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 100 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 2,910 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $33,170
- Median hourly wage: $15.95
- Total employment: 1,360 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $32,770
- Median hourly wage: $15.75
- Total employment: 1,990 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,060
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 4,610 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 5,840 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $32,010
- Median hourly wage: $15.39
- Total employment: 80 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 6,740 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 910 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 5,970 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,540
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 5,330 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Zveaghintev // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Gambling service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 1,530 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 540 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,180
- Median hourly wage: $13.55
- Total employment: 170 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $27,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 13,040 people (6.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $25,620
- Median hourly wage: $12.32
- Total employment: 26,660 people (13.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
grivet // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $23,700
- Median hourly wage: $11.40
- Total employment: 360 people (0.18 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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