Lowest-paying jobs in Glens Falls

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 Glens Falls. 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.

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Security guards

- Median annual wage: $39,520
- Median hourly wage: $19.00
- Total employment: 200 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ESB Basic // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Customer service representatives

- Median annual wage: $39,300
- Median hourly wage: $18.90
- Total employment: 670 people (13.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Nursing assistants

- Median annual wage: $39,280
- Median hourly wage: $18.89
- Total employment: 470 people (9.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $39,100
- Median hourly wage: $18.80
- Total employment: 210 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

- Median annual wage: $39,010
- Median hourly wage: $18.75
- Total employment: 130 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $38,710
- Median hourly wage: $18.61
- Total employment: 910 people (18.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $38,630
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 430 people (8.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $38,550
- Median hourly wage: $18.54
- Total employment: 500 people (9.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#41. Helpers--production workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $38,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (tie)

- Median annual wage: $38,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.50
- Total employment: 590 people (11.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Tellers

- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: 160 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Word processors and typists

- Median annual wage: $37,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.17
- Total employment: 140 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $37,750
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $37,710
- Median hourly wage: $18.13
- Total employment: 60 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Glens Falls October 2025

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors

- Median annual wage: $37,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $37,200
- Median hourly wage: $17.89
- Total employment: 440 people (8.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Pharmacy technicians

- Median annual wage: $37,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 180 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $37,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 170 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $36,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 110 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $36,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 1,080 people (21.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Driver/sales workers

- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 110 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

guteksk7 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing

- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $35,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 140 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DuxX // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $35,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $35,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 120 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $35,470
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 970 people (19.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 120 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $35,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: 100 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Glens Falls

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $34,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 70 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.63
- Total employment: 210 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $34,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 910 people (18.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#16. Retail salespersons (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 1,860 people (36.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Food preparation workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 250 people (5.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best restaurants for 5 cuisines in Glens Falls

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $33,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 230 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $33,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 110 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 490 people (9.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $33,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 270 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $33,160
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 1,060 people (21.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Where people in Glens Falls are looking to buy homes

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $33,150
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 80 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Library assistants, clerical

- Median annual wage: $33,080
- Median hourly wage: $15.91
- Total employment: 70 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Motor vehicle operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $32,920
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $32,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.79
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $32,760
- Median hourly wage: $15.75
- Total employment: 170 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $31,720
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 1,330 people (26.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $31,510
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 60 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#1. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 300 people (5.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Cooks, fast food (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 120 people (2.3 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.