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1 / 50#50. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $35,810
- Median hourly wage: $17.22
- Total employment: 400 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in York
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 York. 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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2 / 50#49. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 350 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,730
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 120 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 1,100 people (5.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 830 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: 420 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,830
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 2,470 people (13.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 200 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 1,590 people (8.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 440 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $34,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $33,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 100 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $33,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 490 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Religious workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,940
- Median hourly wage: $15.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $32,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.51
- Total employment: 120 people (0.65 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: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 3,520 people (19.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,190
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.83
- Total employment: 60 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.77
- Total employment: 600 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 250 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $30,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.54
- Total employment: 500 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 400 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,820 people (9.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 4,490 people (24.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $29,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,360
- Median hourly wage: $14.12
- Total employment: 200 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 490 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 4,010 people (21.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 460 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.90
- Total employment: 2,410 people (13.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 550 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,790
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 590 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,650
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 320 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 630 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 490 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $28,050
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 990 people (5.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $27,970
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 110 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,810
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 4,560 people (24.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 510 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $27,260
- Median hourly wage: $13.11
- Total employment: 260 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,140
- Median hourly wage: $13.05
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lucky Business // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 150 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $26,430
- Median hourly wage: $12.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $25,650
- Median hourly wage: $12.33
- Total employment: 100 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $22,010
- Median hourly wage: $10.58
- Total employment: 410 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $21,960
- Median hourly wage: $10.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 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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