ESB Basic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $35,550
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 250 people (6.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Ocean City
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Ocean City. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $35,460
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 130 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $35,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 320 people (8.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
4 / 50#46. Parts salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
5 / 50#46. Butchers and meat cutters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 90 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.93
- Total employment: 80 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
7 / 50#43. File clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 60 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
8 / 50#43. Bakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.88
- Total employment: 60 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 410 people (10.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
10 / 50#41. Helpers--carpenters
- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 50 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 110 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
12 / 50#39. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $34,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
13 / 50#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 690 people (17.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
14 / 50#37. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $33,170
- Median hourly wage: $15.95
- Total employment: 210 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $33,070
- Median hourly wage: $15.90
- Total employment: 80 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,740
- Median hourly wage: $15.26
- Total employment: 160 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
17 / 50#34. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,700
- Median hourly wage: $15.24
- Total employment: 870 people (21.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $31,410
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 100 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 140 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
20 / 50#31. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $30,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 480 people (12.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Canva
21 / 50#30. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $30,840
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 240 people (6.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,590
- Median hourly wage: $14.71
- Total employment: 840 people (21.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
23 / 50#28. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 210 people (5.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
24 / 50#27. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $30,090
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 880 people (21.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,080
- Median hourly wage: $14.46
- Total employment: 220 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $30,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 1,720 people (43.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 50 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 490 people (12.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,870
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 1,490 people (37.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.28
- Total employment: 600 people (14.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Canva
31 / 50#20. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Order clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: Not available
Canva
33 / 50#18. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 110 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,360
- Median hourly wage: $14.12
- Total employment: 120 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
35 / 50#16. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.03
- Total employment: 80 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Canva
36 / 50#15. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 460 people (11.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,770
- Median hourly wage: $13.83
- Total employment: 80 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,760
- Median hourly wage: $13.83
- Total employment: 1,150 people (28.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 80 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.68
- Total employment: 330 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $28,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 50 people (1.24 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: $28,180
- Median hourly wage: $13.55
- Total employment: 360 people (8.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $28,140
- Median hourly wage: $13.53
- Total employment: 300 people (7.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,120
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 390 people (9.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
46 / 50#4. Cooks, fast food (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 190 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Canva
47 / 50#4. Automotive and watercraft service attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 170 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.40
- Total employment: 1,740 people (43.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,540
- Median hourly wage: $13.24
- Total employment: 100 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,530
- Median hourly wage: $13.24
- Total employment: 90 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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