Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 1,970 people (14.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Fayetteville, North Carolina
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 Fayetteville. 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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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Photographers
- Median annual wage: $34,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 30 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 80 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $34,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 1,820 people (13.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Phlebotomists
- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 180 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,370
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 110 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 360 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $34,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 490 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,550
- Median hourly wage: $16.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $32,840
- Median hourly wage: $15.79
- Total employment: 2,980 people (22.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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zhu difeng // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $32,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 170 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $32,010
- Median hourly wage: $15.39
- Total employment: 1,550 people (11.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,940
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 570 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $31,800
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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New Africa // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 630 people (4.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 400 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $31,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 170 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $30,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.88
- Total employment: 320 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.80
- Total employment: 170 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $30,590
- Median hourly wage: $14.71
- Total employment: 290 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.54
- Total employment: 100 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 90 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Cooks, restaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,350
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 1,220 people (9.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nataliia Maksymenko // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Slaughterers and meat packers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,350
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 110 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 180 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 960 people (7.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $29,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 610 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $28,970
- Median hourly wage: $13.93
- Total employment: 210 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 4,220 people (31.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $28,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: Not available
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
33 / 50#17. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.64
- Total employment: 250 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.65
- Total employment: 2,910 people (21.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,180
- Median hourly wage: $13.55
- Total employment: 240 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $28,170
- Median hourly wage: $13.54
- Total employment: 1,830 people (13.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $28,150
- Median hourly wage: $13.53
- Total employment: 170 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.44
- Total employment: 360 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $27,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,110 people (8.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $27,460
- Median hourly wage: $13.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 290 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $26,870
- Median hourly wage: $12.92
- Total employment: 420 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $26,810
- Median hourly wage: $12.89
- Total employment: 3,810 people (28.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,710
- Median hourly wage: $12.84
- Total employment: 960 people (7.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 1,900 people (14.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $25,490
- Median hourly wage: $12.26
- Total employment: 4,120 people (31.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $25,160
- Median hourly wage: $12.09
- Total employment: 330 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,000
- Median hourly wage: $11.06
- Total employment: 200 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $22,550
- Median hourly wage: $10.84
- Total employment: 350 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $19,770
- Median hourly wage: $9.51
- Total employment: 350 people (2.65 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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