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1 / 50#50. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 200 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Atlantic City
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 Atlantic City. 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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2 / 50#49. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $36,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 6,190 people (37.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
grivet // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $36,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 280 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $36,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 320 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 1,180 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Photographers
- Median annual wage: $35,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $35,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 380 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $35,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 140 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $35,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.94
- Total employment: 110 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,820 people (10.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $34,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: Not available
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14 / 50#37. Office machine operators, except computer
- Median annual wage: $34,880
- Median hourly wage: $16.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,830
- Median hourly wage: $16.75
- Total employment: 970 people (5.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $34,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 380 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $34,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 180 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nick_Nick // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Gambling and sports book writers and runners
- Median annual wage: $34,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,480
- Median hourly wage: $16.58
- Total employment: 530 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 240 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,370
- Median hourly wage: $16.53
- Total employment: 600 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#26. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 1,220 people (7.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. School bus monitors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 120 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 290 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 260 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 270 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
29 / 50#21. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: 180 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 4,370 people (26.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 420 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 430 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $33,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 500 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,100
- Median hourly wage: $15.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $32,860
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $32,670
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 1,860 people (11.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,660
- Median hourly wage: $15.70
- Total employment: 500 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $32,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.50
- Total employment: 4,640 people (27.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $31,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 280 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Gambling dealers
- Median annual wage: $31,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.31
- Total employment: 3,060 people (18.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $31,760
- Median hourly wage: $15.27
- Total employment: 160 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,530
- Median hourly wage: $15.16
- Total employment: 940 people (5.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,520
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 510 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#1. Shampooers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Tour and travel guides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 320 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 5,360 people (32.14 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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