Kzenon // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $39,200
- Median hourly wage: $18.85
- Total employment: 190 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Medford
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 Medford. 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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New Africa // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $38,700
- Median hourly wage: $18.61
- Total employment: 920 people (10.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $38,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $38,460
- Median hourly wage: $18.49
- Total employment: 230 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $38,150
- Median hourly wage: $18.34
- Total employment: 250 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $38,130
- Median hourly wage: $18.33
- Total employment: 680 people (7.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $38,070
- Median hourly wage: $18.30
- Total employment: 1,920 people (21.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $37,970
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Noin90650 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
- Median annual wage: $37,960
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.22
- Total employment: 970 people (10.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $37,860
- Median hourly wage: $18.20
- Total employment: 240 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,690
- Median hourly wage: $18.12
- Total employment: 130 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $37,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 150 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $37,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 850 people (9.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 810 people (9.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,210 people (13.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 230 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 1,360 people (15.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $35,840
- Median hourly wage: $17.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
22 / 50#28. Recreation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 180 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 230 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $35,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $35,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 150 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $35,530
- Median hourly wage: $17.08
- Total employment: 150 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 270 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 820 people (9.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 120 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 2,700 people (30.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.98
- Total employment: 680 people (7.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,790
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 190 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $34,590
- Median hourly wage: $16.63
- Total employment: 130 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 180 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 390 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 380 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $34,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 110 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $33,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 180 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 80 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $33,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.03
- Total employment: 290 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $32,580
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 1,990 people (22.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $32,190
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 280 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $31,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 530 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $31,710
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 190 people (2.2 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: $31,350
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 3,140 people (35.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $31,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 1,130 people (12.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 140 people (1.57 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: $30,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 290 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Religious workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: Not available
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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