ESB Basic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $36,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 680 people (12.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Rocky Mount
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 Rocky Mount. 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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2 / 50#49. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 140 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 1,430 people (26.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Pest control workers
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $35,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 840 people (15.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 350 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $35,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: 230 people (4.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $34,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $34,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 1,270 people (23.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nataliia Maksymenko // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Median annual wage: $33,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $32,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.84
- Total employment: 170 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $32,900
- Median hourly wage: $15.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.76
- Total employment: 170 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,590
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 230 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $32,420
- Median hourly wage: $15.59
- Total employment: 100 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $31,560
- Median hourly wage: $15.17
- Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 140 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 270 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $29,770
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 110 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,540
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 70 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 420 people (7.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 680 people (12.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $28,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 140 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $28,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 160 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#21. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 220 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Home health and personal care aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 950 people (17.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.30
- Total employment: 70 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 210 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 1,500 people (27.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $27,420
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 890 people (16.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#14. Maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 340 people (6.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Funeral attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 130 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.98
- Total employment: 110 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $26,610
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 420 people (7.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,550
- Median hourly wage: $12.77
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $25,520
- Median hourly wage: $12.27
- Total employment: 100 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $25,330
- Median hourly wage: $12.18
- Total employment: 1,780 people (32.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $25,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.13
- Total employment: 90 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $25,090
- Median hourly wage: $12.06
- Total employment: 600 people (11.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $24,940
- Median hourly wage: $11.99
- Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $23,720
- Median hourly wage: $11.41
- Total employment: 260 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $23,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.14
- Total employment: 1,460 people (26.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $21,380
- Median hourly wage: $10.28
- Total employment: 110 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $20,800
- Median hourly wage: $10.00
- Total employment: 90 people (1.74 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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