Lowest-paying jobs in Elmira

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 Elmira. 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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Standret // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Counter and rental clerks

- Median annual wage: $38,850
- Median hourly wage: $18.68
- Total employment: 110 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Milkovasa // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Medical assistants

- Median annual wage: $38,820
- Median hourly wage: $18.67
- Total employment: 180 people (5.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $38,810
- Median hourly wage: $18.66
- Total employment: 210 people (6.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Word processors and typists

- Median annual wage: $38,760
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 80 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

- Median annual wage: $38,460
- Median hourly wage: $18.49
- Total employment: 350 people (10.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Billing and posting clerks

- Median annual wage: $38,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.48
- Total employment: 140 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $38,110
- Median hourly wage: $18.32
- Total employment: 60 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Tellers

- Median annual wage: $37,750
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 90 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Parts salespersons

- Median annual wage: $37,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 60 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ESB Basic // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Customer service representatives

- Median annual wage: $37,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 530 people (15.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Ground Picture // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Stockers and order fillers

- Median annual wage: $37,270
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: 1,000 people (29.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Driver/sales workers

- Median annual wage: $37,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.81
- Total employment: 140 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $36,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 30 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photographee.eu // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Rehabilitation counselors

- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 30 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Nursing assistants

- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 370 people (11.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $36,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.72
- Total employment: 230 people (6.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Helpers--production workers

- Median annual wage: $36,840
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 40 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $36,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 240 people (7.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 170 people (5.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#30. Pharmacy technicians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 100 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Cooks, institution and cafeteria (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 70 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $36,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 200 people (5.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $36,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 510 people (15.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $35,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 90 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 100 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 630 people (18.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

zhu difeng // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers

- Median annual wage: $34,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 80 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $34,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.53
- Total employment: 60 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aappp // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Aircraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 30 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $34,160
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 50 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 60 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 50 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $33,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.17
- Total employment: 610 people (18.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $33,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 110 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $33,240
- Median hourly wage: $15.98
- Total employment: 70 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $33,170
- Median hourly wage: $15.95
- Total employment: 90 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $33,160
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 1,230 people (36.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $32,860
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 1,050 people (31.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#10. Animal caretakers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $32,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 50 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Food preparation workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $32,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 180 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $32,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 80 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $32,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.48
- Total employment: 90 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $31,860
- Median hourly wage: $15.32
- Total employment: 130 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $31,430
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 250 people (7.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Crossing guards and flaggers

- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 50 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 940 people (28.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $31,310
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leika production // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#1. Couriers and messengers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 40 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 40 people (1.15 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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