Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 330 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Jackson
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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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $29,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 740 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $29,500
- Median hourly wage: $14.18
- Total employment: 270 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 240 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $29,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.03
- Total employment: Not available
DuxX // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $29,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 250 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $29,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $29,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 730 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $28,680
- Median hourly wage: $13.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
12 / 50#38. Security guards (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,610
- Median hourly wage: $13.76
- Total employment: 3,240 people (12.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,610
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 3,760 people (14.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $28,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Substitute teachers, short-term (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 410 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jason Person // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cooks, short order (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 430 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 8,450 people (31.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $28,170
- Median hourly wage: $13.54
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 80 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 520 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 290 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $27,150
- Median hourly wage: $13.05
- Total employment: 180 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,700
- Median hourly wage: $12.84
- Total employment: 1,250 people (4.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $26,620
- Median hourly wage: $12.80
- Total employment: 690 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $26,320
- Median hourly wage: $12.65
- Total employment: 310 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santypan // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $26,170
- Median hourly wage: $12.58
- Total employment: 470 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 1,240 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $25,700
- Median hourly wage: $12.36
- Total employment: 400 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $25,650
- Median hourly wage: $12.33
- Total employment: 350 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $25,270
- Median hourly wage: $12.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $25,260
- Median hourly wage: $12.14
- Total employment: 5,180 people (19.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $24,540
- Median hourly wage: $11.80
- Total employment: 570 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $24,530
- Median hourly wage: $11.79
- Total employment: 2,170 people (8.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $23,910
- Median hourly wage: $11.50
- Total employment: 5,820 people (21.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $23,500
- Median hourly wage: $11.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krysja // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,330
- Median hourly wage: $11.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $23,190
- Median hourly wage: $11.15
- Total employment: 80 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $23,090
- Median hourly wage: $11.10
- Total employment: 90 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $23,080
- Median hourly wage: $11.10
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Blanscape // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Conveyor operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $22,890
- Median hourly wage: $11.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 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: $22,560
- Median hourly wage: $10.85
- Total employment: 8,080 people (30.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $22,350
- Median hourly wage: $10.75
- Total employment: 2,350 people (8.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $22,280
- Median hourly wage: $10.71
- Total employment: 690 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $22,270
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $22,130
- Median hourly wage: $10.64
- Total employment: 1,330 people (4.94 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: $21,600
- Median hourly wage: $10.38
- Total employment: 440 people (1.62 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: $21,470
- Median hourly wage: $10.32
- Total employment: 600 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $21,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,710 people (6.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $21,130
- Median hourly wage: $10.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $20,880
- Median hourly wage: $10.04
- Total employment: 3,020 people (11.26 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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