New Africa // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 1,240 people (6.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Lincoln
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 Lincoln. 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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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $35,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 2,720 people (15.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.22
- Total employment: 140 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $35,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $35,030
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 130 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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worradirek // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 270 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $34,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 310 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 160 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $34,230
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $34,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 830 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 2,160 people (11.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $33,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 190 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 1,450 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $33,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 230 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $33,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 450 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $33,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.03
- Total employment: 660 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.01
- Total employment: 110 people (0.61 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: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 2,070 people (11.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.98
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $32,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.84
- Total employment: 530 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,700
- Median hourly wage: $15.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $31,910
- Median hourly wage: $15.34
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,280
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 1,030 people (5.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,870
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 280 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
28 / 50#22. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 410 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cooks, short order (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 390 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $30,410
- Median hourly wage: $14.62
- Total employment: 1,080 people (5.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,390
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 750 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 510 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.33
- Total employment: 4,050 people (22.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 380 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,680
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 3,420 people (18.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 5,450 people (30.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.03
- Total employment: 270 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 410 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 1,610 people (8.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $28,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 160 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,300
- Median hourly wage: $13.60
- Total employment: 480 people (2.64 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: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 570 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nick_Nick // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Gambling and sports book writers and runners
- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,180
- Median hourly wage: $13.07
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $26,520
- Median hourly wage: $12.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $25,610
- Median hourly wage: $12.31
- Total employment: 1,320 people (7.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $25,280
- Median hourly wage: $12.15
- Total employment: 590 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Parking attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,110 people (6.16 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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