Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 120 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Charlotte
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 Charlotte. 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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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 4,350 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 13,500 people (10.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $34,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.53
- Total employment: 3,850 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Brian Goodman // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $33,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 330 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 850 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $33,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.98
- Total employment: 510 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,160
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $33,070
- Median hourly wage: $15.90
- Total employment: 260 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,810
- Median hourly wage: $15.77
- Total employment: 710 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $32,590
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $32,490
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 1,370 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Linda Zupanc // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Costume attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,400
- Median hourly wage: $15.58
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.44
- Total employment: 1,190 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MIND AND I // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Woodworkers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,980
- Median hourly wage: $15.38
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.12
- Total employment: 34,980 people (26.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,310
- Median hourly wage: $15.05
- Total employment: 1,970 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $31,210
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 630 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
21 / 50#29. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.97
- Total employment: 1,180 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.97
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 1,990 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 13,720 people (10.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 7,840 people (5.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kelvn // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Passenger attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,830
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: Not available
Suteren // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 280 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,580
- Median hourly wage: $14.70
- Total employment: 5,470 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $30,550
- Median hourly wage: $14.69
- Total employment: 3,100 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 3,690 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Carlovis // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 310 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.37
- Total employment: 3,040 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 4,140 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $29,410
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: Not available
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 24,400 people (18.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 2,820 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 20,100 people (14.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,840
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 4,010 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 29,200 people (21.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 620 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,570
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 3,910 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $28,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 1,910 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $28,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 7,570 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $28,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 18,560 people (13.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,210
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 1,290 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 4,150 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 1,840 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $26,050
- Median hourly wage: $12.52
- Total employment: 430 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $24,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $18,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 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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