Ground Picture // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $33,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.30
- Total employment: 870 people (20.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Lawton
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 Lawton. 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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ESB Basic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 690 people (16.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,550
- Median hourly wage: $16.13
- Total employment: 80 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 1,130 people (26.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.63
- Total employment: 530 people (12.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor_Koptilin // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators
- Median annual wage: $32,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 110 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $32,460
- Median hourly wage: $15.61
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,190
- Median hourly wage: $15.48
- Total employment: 80 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Billing and posting clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,160
- Median hourly wage: $15.46
- Total employment: 80 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 510 people (11.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $31,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 30 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
13 / 50#37. Phlebotomists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 90 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Counter and rental clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 100 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $30,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 40 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
grivet // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,870
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 120 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $29,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 50 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $29,390
- Median hourly wage: $14.13
- Total employment: 160 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 640 people (15.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yevgen Belich // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Gambling cage workers
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 70 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 210 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,750
- Median hourly wage: $13.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Gambling dealers
- Median annual wage: $28,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 120 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.64
- Total employment: 460 people (10.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,150
- Median hourly wage: $13.54
- Total employment: 1,280 people (29.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 90 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 90 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $27,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 440 people (10.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $27,390
- Median hourly wage: $13.17
- Total employment: 40 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $26,920
- Median hourly wage: $12.94
- Total employment: 330 people (7.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $26,530
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 80 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,440
- Median hourly wage: $12.71
- Total employment: 120 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $26,370
- Median hourly wage: $12.68
- Total employment: 60 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 110 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $26,120
- Median hourly wage: $12.56
- Total employment: 1,120 people (26.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,110
- Median hourly wage: $12.55
- Total employment: 340 people (7.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $25,550
- Median hourly wage: $12.29
- Total employment: 390 people (9.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $25,470
- Median hourly wage: $12.24
- Total employment: 120 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $24,890
- Median hourly wage: $11.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $24,580
- Median hourly wage: $11.82
- Total employment: 70 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $24,480
- Median hourly wage: $11.77
- Total employment: 200 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,890
- Median hourly wage: $11.01
- Total employment: 1,380 people (32.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santypan // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $22,640
- Median hourly wage: $10.88
- Total employment: 120 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $22,260
- Median hourly wage: $10.70
- Total employment: 130 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $21,180
- Median hourly wage: $10.18
- Total employment: 170 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $20,890
- Median hourly wage: $10.04
- Total employment: 130 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $18,650
- Median hourly wage: $8.97
- Total employment: 720 people (16.8 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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