Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 90 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Hilton Head Island
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 Hilton Head Island. 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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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $36,200
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 640 people (7.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $36,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 1,790 people (21.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 630 people (7.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $35,500
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 1,490 people (18.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 130 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Printing press operators
- Median annual wage: $34,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 100 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,240
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 210 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $33,920
- Median hourly wage: $16.31
- Total employment: 290 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 190 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 960 people (11.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#37. Motor vehicle operators, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 160 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 240 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.03
- Total employment: 500 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $32,980
- Median hourly wage: $15.86
- Total employment: 230 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.63
- Total employment: 150 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $31,890
- Median hourly wage: $15.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $31,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 130 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,530
- Median hourly wage: $15.16
- Total employment: 3,640 people (44.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $31,390
- Median hourly wage: $15.09
- Total employment: 550 people (6.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Teachers and instructors, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 960 people (11.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $30,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Martin Smith // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $30,020
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 130 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $29,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 2,200 people (26.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 1,310 people (16.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.85
- Total employment: 2,470 people (30.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 680 people (8.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 260 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $28,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Carlovis // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $28,130
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $28,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,850
- Median hourly wage: $13.39
- Total employment: 2,310 people (28.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 1,200 people (14.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,450
- Median hourly wage: $13.20
- Total employment: 100 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $27,190
- Median hourly wage: $13.07
- Total employment: 260 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $26,900
- Median hourly wage: $12.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $26,640
- Median hourly wage: $12.81
- Total employment: 450 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,390
- Median hourly wage: $12.69
- Total employment: 310 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $23,940
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $22,260
- Median hourly wage: $10.70
- Total employment: 60 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $22,190
- Median hourly wage: $10.67
- Total employment: Not available
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $20,080
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $18,830
- Median hourly wage: $9.05
- Total employment: 700 people (8.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $18,700
- Median hourly wage: $8.99
- Total employment: 3,330 people (40.71 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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