YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $37,580
- Median hourly wage: $18.07
- Total employment: Not available
Lowest-paying jobs in Salem
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 Salem. 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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Motortion Films // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,570
- Median hourly wage: $18.06
- Total employment: 3,320 people (17.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $37,560
- Median hourly wage: $18.06
- Total employment: 1,330 people (7.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $37,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 90 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $37,240
- Median hourly wage: $17.90
- Total employment: 130 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Allexxandar // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Agricultural technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,970
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 2,460 people (13.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $36,840
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 950 people (5.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Agricultural equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $36,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $36,650
- Median hourly wage: $17.62
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,380 people (12.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $36,470
- Median hourly wage: $17.53
- Total employment: 320 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 180 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 550 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 660 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 1,210 people (6.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,080
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 380 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 2,370 people (12.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Median annual wage: $35,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 120 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $35,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 260 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 370 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $35,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.08
- Total employment: 910 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitreel // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $35,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 420 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $35,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 270 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 260 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 4,610 people (24.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 310 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 530 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
33 / 50#17. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Motor vehicle operators, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 450 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 260 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Religious workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,570
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 840 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
39 / 50#11. Physical therapist aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 2,530 people (13.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $33,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 490 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $33,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 160 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $33,480
- Median hourly wage: $16.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $33,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 1,790 people (9.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $33,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 5,400 people (29.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $33,000
- Median hourly wage: $15.87
- Total employment: 3,470 people (18.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $32,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 300 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.23
- Total employment: 360 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $31,420
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 420 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $31,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 1,030 people (5.54 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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