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1 / 50#50. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $33,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in East Stroudsburg
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in East Stroudsburg. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#48. Pharmacy technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 190 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Substitute teachers, short-term (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: Not available
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4 / 50#47. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $32,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $31,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $31,580
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 140 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.02
- Total employment: 100 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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9 / 50#42. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $31,180
- Median hourly wage: $14.99
- Total employment: 290 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $31,090
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 710 people (13.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 110 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $30,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 1,590 people (29.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 920 people (16.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $30,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 460 people (8.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 520 people (9.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $29,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 460 people (8.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $29,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 270 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 220 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.06
- Total employment: 280 people (5.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $29,180
- Median hourly wage: $14.03
- Total employment: 190 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $29,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 200 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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24 / 50#27. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,050
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 330 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 90 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $28,760
- Median hourly wage: $13.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,640
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 110 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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29 / 50#22. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $28,530
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 1,310 people (23.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,300
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 100 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 1,290 people (23.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $27,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 120 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.24
- Total employment: 70 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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34 / 50#17. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $27,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $26,720
- Median hourly wage: $12.84
- Total employment: 90 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $26,460
- Median hourly wage: $12.72
- Total employment: 2,210 people (40.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,210
- Median hourly wage: $12.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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38 / 50#13. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,110
- Median hourly wage: $12.55
- Total employment: 250 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $25,840
- Median hourly wage: $12.43
- Total employment: 340 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $25,620
- Median hourly wage: $12.32
- Total employment: 1,850 people (33.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $25,420
- Median hourly wage: $12.22
- Total employment: 180 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $25,170
- Median hourly wage: $12.10
- Total employment: 150 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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43 / 50#8. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $25,090
- Median hourly wage: $12.06
- Total employment: 280 people (5.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $24,350
- Median hourly wage: $11.71
- Total employment: 100 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $23,930
- Median hourly wage: $11.50
- Total employment: 1,700 people (31.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $23,370
- Median hourly wage: $11.24
- Total employment: 230 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $21,660
- Median hourly wage: $10.41
- Total employment: 210 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $21,320
- Median hourly wage: $10.25
- Total employment: 230 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $21,230
- Median hourly wage: $10.21
- Total employment: 130 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $21,110
- Median hourly wage: $10.15
- Total employment: 430 people (7.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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