Lowest-paying jobs in Rochester

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 Rochester. 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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shocky // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#49. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 170 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Cooks, restaurant (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 3,220 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $36,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 350 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SGr // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Machine feeders and offbearers

- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Crossing guards and flaggers

- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 390 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $36,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 990 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leika production // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Couriers and messengers

- Median annual wage: $36,240
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 350 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 9,100 people (18.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 170 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krysja // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#40. Funeral attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Telemarketers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 250 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Office machine operators, except computer

- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 130 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $36,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 810 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 15,780 people (32.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $35,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Martin Smith // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 220 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 1,010 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $35,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.98
- Total employment: 1,300 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $35,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 1,320 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

- Median annual wage: $35,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 100 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Median annual wage: $34,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 700 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Sewing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $34,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 380 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $34,790
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 1,780 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $34,720
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 370 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $34,650
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 1,370 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 1,270 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kelvn // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#22. Passenger attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Cameris // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#22. Taxi drivers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aappp // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Aircraft service attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $34,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 12,220 people (24.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#19. Food preparation workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 2,710 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Animal caretakers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 710 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $34,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 1,260 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Baggage porters and bellhops

- Median annual wage: $34,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#15. Cooks, fast food (tie)

- Median annual wage: $33,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 1,810 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Library assistants, clerical (tie)

- Median annual wage: $33,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 520 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $33,730
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 8,010 people (16.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $33,660
- Median hourly wage: $16.18
- Total employment: 2,370 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $33,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.14
- Total employment: 2,180 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $33,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 9,710 people (19.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Educational instruction and library workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,240
- Median hourly wage: $15.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $33,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 11,290 people (23.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $32,970
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 610 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $31,770
- Median hourly wage: $15.27
- Total employment: 1,630 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $31,290
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 270 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#1. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 610 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#1. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 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: 900 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#1. Motor vehicle operators, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)