Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $34,940
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 300 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Cincinnati
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 Cincinnati. 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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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,870
- Median hourly wage: $16.77
- Total employment: 11,340 people (10.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $34,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 780 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Counselors, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: Not available
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $34,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 1,630 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $34,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 340 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 4,150 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 480 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $33,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $33,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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encierro // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $33,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $33,590
- Median hourly wage: $16.15
- Total employment: 880 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 1,950 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Legislators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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O.PASH // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $33,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.89
- Total employment: 260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $32,970
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 710 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,710
- Median hourly wage: $15.73
- Total employment: 690 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BongkarnGraphic // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Median annual wage: $32,600
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 170 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Broadcast technicians
- Median annual wage: $32,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.60
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $32,430
- Median hourly wage: $15.59
- Total employment: 2,220 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $32,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 1,700 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $31,990
- Median hourly wage: $15.38
- Total employment: 14,810 people (13.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $31,550
- Median hourly wage: $15.17
- Total employment: 130 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $31,330
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 370 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,300
- Median hourly wage: $15.05
- Total employment: 5,250 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 4,480 people (4.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $30,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 1,420 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
30 / 50#20. Telemarketers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 200 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 25,690 people (23.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 1,290 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Bartenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 5,470 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $30,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.57
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 2,940 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 2,400 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 2,460 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 1,120 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 2,080 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 1,000 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,410
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 2,530 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 2,870 people (2.62 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: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 3,960 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $28,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 4,110 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,790
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 32,880 people (30.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,650
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 21,300 people (19.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 2,150 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,160
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 550 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $25,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 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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