GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $39,400
- Median hourly wage: $18.94
- Total employment: 370 people (11.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Gettysburg
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 Gettysburg. 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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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $39,390
- Median hourly wage: $18.94
- Total employment: 280 people (8.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $39,370
- Median hourly wage: $18.93
- Total employment: 50 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
evgenii mitroshin // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Median annual wage: $39,180
- Median hourly wage: $18.84
- Total employment: Not available
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $39,170
- Median hourly wage: $18.83
- Total employment: 370 people (11.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $39,140
- Median hourly wage: $18.82
- Total employment: 150 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $39,050
- Median hourly wage: $18.78
- Total employment: 600 people (18.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $38,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $38,410
- Median hourly wage: $18.46
- Total employment: 90 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $38,380
- Median hourly wage: $18.45
- Total employment: 730 people (22.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $38,030
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 70 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $37,490
- Median hourly wage: $18.02
- Total employment: 60 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $37,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 120 people (3.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $37,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.82
- Total employment: 170 people (5.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $35,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 40 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 440 people (13.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $35,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 160 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 70 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 40 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 330 people (10.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $34,230
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 250 people (7.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 400 people (12.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $34,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 40 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $34,030
- Median hourly wage: $16.36
- Total employment: 30 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 230 people (7.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (10.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $32,430
- Median hourly wage: $15.59
- Total employment: 350 people (10.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,980
- Median hourly wage: $15.37
- Total employment: 60 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $31,800
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 100 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $31,510
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 60 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 100 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,870
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 130 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $30,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.62
- Total employment: 110 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $29,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.38
- Total employment: 60 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,540
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 320 people (9.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $29,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 70 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 180 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $29,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 90 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 690 people (21.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.93
- Total employment: 60 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,130
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 150 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 160 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $27,880
- Median hourly wage: $13.40
- Total employment: 140 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 620 people (19.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 880 people (27.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,510
- Median hourly wage: $13.23
- Total employment: 1,030 people (31.95 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: $27,290
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: 130 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,240
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 70 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,950
- Median hourly wage: $12.96
- Total employment: 160 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 300 people (9.22 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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