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1 / 50#50. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $40,360
- Median hourly wage: $19.41
- Total employment: 90 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Bismarck
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 Bismarck. 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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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $40,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 840 people (12.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $39,880
- Median hourly wage: $19.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $39,520
- Median hourly wage: $19.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $39,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.96
- Total employment: 190 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $39,120
- Median hourly wage: $18.81
- Total employment: 190 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $39,060
- Median hourly wage: $18.78
- Total employment: 310 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $39,000
- Median hourly wage: $18.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $38,760
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 120 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $38,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.58
- Total employment: 100 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $38,630
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 140 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $38,520
- Median hourly wage: $18.52
- Total employment: 1,510 people (21.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $38,490
- Median hourly wage: $18.51
- Total employment: 360 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $37,880
- Median hourly wage: $18.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $37,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.17
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 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: $37,740
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 450 people (6.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Median annual wage: $37,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 80 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $37,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.89
- Total employment: 260 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $37,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 200 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 200 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $36,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.60
- Total employment: 1,200 people (17.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 820 people (11.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 210 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 2,160 people (30.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.23
- Total employment: 150 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 340 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $35,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 260 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 450 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $34,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 240 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Virrage Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $31,080
- Median hourly wage: $14.94
- Total employment: 190 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $31,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 140 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,590
- Median hourly wage: $14.71
- Total employment: 1,340 people (19.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $30,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 710 people (10.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.53
- Total employment: 150 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $29,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 990 people (14.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,940
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 2,270 people (32.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 130 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 590 people (8.4 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: $28,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.71
- Total employment: 100 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 190 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Gambling dealers
- Median annual wage: $27,890
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 140 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,820
- Median hourly wage: $12.89
- Total employment: 390 people (5.55 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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