Syda Productions // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $36,310
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 490 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Sioux Falls
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 Sioux Falls. 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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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Cooks, restaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 660 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $36,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 210 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 240 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 140 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $36,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 650 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Allexxandar // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Agricultural technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,670
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 230 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Carlovis // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 70 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $34,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $34,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 100 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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M2020 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Helpers--electricians
- Median annual wage: $34,730
- Median hourly wage: $16.70
- Total employment: 130 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 660 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 5,340 people (30.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 2,960 people (16.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Median annual wage: $34,110
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $33,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 650 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $33,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.14
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,190
- Median hourly wage: $15.96
- Total employment: 100 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $33,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.92
- Total employment: 680 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $32,600
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $31,830
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 160 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.03
- Total employment: 1,010 people (5.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $30,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.89
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#21. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 460 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Bicycle repairers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
31 / 50#19. Orderlies (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: Not available
Tong_stocker // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Helpers--carpenters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 120 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 370 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $30,360
- Median hourly wage: $14.59
- Total employment: 390 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.57
- Total employment: 340 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $30,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.54
- Total employment: 2,470 people (14.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.37
- Total employment: 5,440 people (31.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,840
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 4,050 people (23.2 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: $29,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 250 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $29,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 220 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.19
- Total employment: 1,230 people (7.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $29,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 1,040 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $29,190
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 410 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 550 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
grivet // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 230 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.79
- Total employment: 430 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 1,130 people (6.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $26,900
- Median hourly wage: $12.93
- Total employment: 150 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $26,830
- Median hourly wage: $12.90
- Total employment: 1,340 people (7.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $26,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,160 people (6.65 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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