kelvn // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Passenger attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia. 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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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 14,980 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruwan Muhandiramge // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $35,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 80 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.88
- Total employment: 10,770 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
5 / 50#45. Physical therapist aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 640 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 530 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 2,240 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,940
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 1,070 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $34,910
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 1,760 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 2,610 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Religious workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 300 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 2,510 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 5,560 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $34,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 14,300 people (4.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
15 / 50#35. Recreation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 5,380 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 350 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.35
- Total employment: 970 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.35
- Total employment: 160 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $33,940
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 430 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $33,790
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 9,860 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
21 / 50#29. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.17
- Total employment: 5,680 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.17
- Total employment: 64,820 people (22.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 870 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 2,100 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 11,110 people (3.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Telemarketers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 340 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $32,970
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 7,780 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sewers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.76
- Total employment: Not available
michaeljung // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $32,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $32,510
- Median hourly wage: $15.63
- Total employment: 1,220 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $32,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 26,240 people (9.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $32,100
- Median hourly wage: $15.44
- Total employment: 250 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $31,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 8,790 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $31,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.24
- Total employment: 2,190 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,670
- Median hourly wage: $15.23
- Total employment: 8,340 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 8,880 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,520
- Median hourly wage: $15.16
- Total employment: 3,310 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#11. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 54,450 people (18.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#11. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 8,760 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,470
- Median hourly wage: $15.13
- Total employment: 63,800 people (22.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
41 / 50#9. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 7,500 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 9,920 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,470
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 520 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $29,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 6,600 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Shampooers
- Median annual wage: $29,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.38
- Total employment: 990 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 142,460 people (49.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 5,230 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $28,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.85
- Total employment: 2,260 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
APChanel // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: Not available
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,550
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 1,550 people (0.54 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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