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1 / 50#50. Helpers, construction trades, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Pittsburgh
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 Pittsburgh. 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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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $32,970
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 3,350 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $32,800
- Median hourly wage: $15.77
- Total employment: 2,220 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rudenkois // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Musical instrument repairers and tuners
- Median annual wage: $32,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: Not available
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $32,060
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 980 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 1,900 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,700
- Median hourly wage: $15.24
- Total employment: Not available
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 4,190 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 280 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 570 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Gambling dealers
- Median annual wage: $30,900
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 670 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $30,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 6,320 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $30,830
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 16,590 people (14.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $30,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.73
- Total employment: Not available
grivet // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,390
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 3,750 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $30,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,020
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 29,130 people (26.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Carlovis // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $29,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 470 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 280 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 1,050 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 1,330 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $29,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $29,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 35,740 people (32.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 2,310 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 690 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 20,940 people (18.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.89
- Total employment: 90 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Barbers
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 1,090 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 4,150 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.76
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 3,710 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $28,260
- Median hourly wage: $13.59
- Total employment: 3,900 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 27,020 people (24.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 2,660 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Shampooers
- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: Not available
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $27,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 4,190 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $27,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.01
- Total employment: 780 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $27,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.00
- Total employment: 420 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,800
- Median hourly wage: $12.88
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $26,690
- Median hourly wage: $12.83
- Total employment: 1,410 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $26,670
- Median hourly wage: $12.82
- Total employment: 3,010 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $24,130
- Median hourly wage: $11.60
- Total employment: 2,010 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $23,210
- Median hourly wage: $11.16
- Total employment: 6,800 people (6.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,190
- Median hourly wage: $11.15
- Total employment: 3,330 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $22,270
- Median hourly wage: $10.71
- Total employment: 540 people (0.49 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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