Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 330 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Omaha
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 Omaha. 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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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,840
- Median hourly wage: $17.23
- Total employment: 340 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 1,850 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 250 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
5 / 50#45. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 6,350 people (12.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 400 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 250 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $35,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.98
- Total employment: 650 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 830 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 7,340 people (14.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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worradirek // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $35,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 220 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 6,020 people (12.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: 1,370 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $34,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 580 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $33,870
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 1,230 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Martin Smith // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 330 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $33,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 2,730 people (5.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $33,720
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 240 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
O.PASH // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $33,490
- Median hourly wage: $16.10
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $33,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 100 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 4,230 people (8.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,220
- Median hourly wage: $15.97
- Total employment: 720 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,160
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 580 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $31,970
- Median hourly wage: $15.37
- Total employment: 150 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $31,420
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- Median annual wage: $31,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 90 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.03
- Total employment: 780 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,220
- Median hourly wage: $15.01
- Total employment: 11,990 people (24.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $31,210
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 4,680 people (9.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Tour and travel guides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 160 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 2,010 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 1,200 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 470 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,570
- Median hourly wage: $14.70
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $30,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 3,430 people (6.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 1,220 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.51
- Total employment: 8,920 people (18.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,770
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 14,410 people (29.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 380 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 4,980 people (10.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $29,470
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 130 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 540 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nick_Nick // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Gambling and sports book writers and runners
- Median annual wage: $28,320
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 150 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $27,420
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 410 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $27,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 1,910 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,140
- Median hourly wage: $13.05
- Total employment: 1,070 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $26,710
- Median hourly wage: $12.84
- Total employment: 170 people (0.36 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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