NIKCOA // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $36,700
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 150 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Buffalo
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 Buffalo. 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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Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 190 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
emirhankaramuk // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Medical appliance technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $36,320
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 490 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Virrage Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 160 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 8,900 people (16.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.22
- Total employment: 1,180 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 1,460 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitreel // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $35,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 650 people (1.22 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: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 16,490 people (30.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $35,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 1,370 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 1,220 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 760 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $34,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.75
- Total employment: 160 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 340 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $34,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 1,260 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
19 / 50#31. Telemarketers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 240 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 2,670 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 1,600 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $34,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 7,750 people (14.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kelvn // Shutterstock
23 / 50#27. Passenger attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Aircraft service attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 110 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 2,710 people (5.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $34,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 14,660 people (27.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Childcare workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 2,220 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 14,200 people (26.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#21. Concierges (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 100 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Skincare specialists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 330 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.36
- Total employment: 2,680 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $33,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 920 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 670 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $33,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.13
- Total employment: 1,500 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,480
- Median hourly wage: $16.10
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $33,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 440 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.04
- Total employment: 1,100 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.01
- Total employment: 400 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: Not available
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $33,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.95
- Total employment: 1,880 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $32,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 830 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.45
- Total employment: 1,260 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $31,780
- Median hourly wage: $15.28
- Total employment: 400 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $31,660
- Median hourly wage: $15.22
- Total employment: 11,600 people (21.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $31,630
- Median hourly wage: $15.21
- Total employment: 370 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $31,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 90 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 110 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 710 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 1,020 people (1.92 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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