M2020 // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Helpers--electricians
- Median annual wage: $35,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Erie
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 Erie. 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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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 150 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Art of pixels // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $34,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.70
- Total employment: 130 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 310 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $34,160
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 110 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $33,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 70 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 100 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $32,730
- Median hourly wage: $15.74
- Total employment: 260 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,630
- Median hourly wage: $15.69
- Total employment: 370 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $32,420
- Median hourly wage: $15.59
- Total employment: 140 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,780
- Median hourly wage: $15.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $31,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 260 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,410
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 1,740 people (14.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,290
- Median hourly wage: $15.05
- Total employment: 870 people (7.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.97
- Total employment: 240 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $30,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,830
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 1,310 people (10.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Educational instruction and library workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 290 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 430 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 450 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $29,550
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 220 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 180 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 590 people (4.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $28,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,050 people (8.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
30 / 50#20. Parking attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 170 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $28,850
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 100 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 220 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,620
- Median hourly wage: $13.76
- Total employment: 210 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $28,590
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 380 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,340
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 3,510 people (29.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 2,460 people (20.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $27,790
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 6,550 people (54.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $27,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 120 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $27,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 1,830 people (15.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,450
- Median hourly wage: $13.20
- Total employment: 3,360 people (28.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.04
- Total employment: 430 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $26,280
- Median hourly wage: $12.64
- Total employment: 420 people (3.53 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: $25,830
- Median hourly wage: $12.42
- Total employment: 340 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $24,820
- Median hourly wage: $11.93
- Total employment: 400 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $24,300
- Median hourly wage: $11.68
- Total employment: 370 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $23,900
- Median hourly wage: $11.49
- Total employment: 380 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $21,950
- Median hourly wage: $10.55
- Total employment: 980 people (8.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $21,850
- Median hourly wage: $10.51
- Total employment: 80 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $21,080
- Median hourly wage: $10.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.52 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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