Lowest-paying jobs in Chattanooga

·Stacker

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

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 Chattanooga. 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.

You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Chattanooga area by diners

#50. Floral designers

Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Floral designers

- Median annual wage: $32,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.60
- Total employment: 80 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

- Median annual wage: $31,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.32
- Total employment: 930 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#48. Recreation workers

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $31,830
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 220 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Photographers

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Photographers

- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

MAVV // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

- Median annual wage: $31,300
- Median hourly wage: $15.05
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best colleges in Chattanooga

#45. Print binding and finishing workers

giocalde // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Print binding and finishing workers

- Median annual wage: $31,180
- Median hourly wage: $14.99
- Total employment: 150 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

socrates471 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $31,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $30,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 840 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Special education teachers, preschool

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Special education teachers, preschool

- Median annual wage: $30,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Parking attendants

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $30,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Chattanooga

#40. Switchboard operators, including answering service

Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Switchboard operators, including answering service

- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service

- Median annual wage: $30,470
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $30,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 3,990 people (14.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Preschool teachers, except special education

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $30,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.59
- Total employment: 490 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Home health and personal care aides

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $29,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 2,410 people (8.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Chattanooga this year

#35. Retail salespersons

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $29,830
- Median hourly wage: $14.34
- Total employment: 6,910 people (25.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Residential advisors

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Residential advisors

- Median annual wage: $29,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.28
- Total employment: 210 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Grounds maintenance workers, all other

KarepaStock // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Grounds maintenance workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $29,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 380 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $29,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 230 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated Tex-Mex restaurants in Chattanooga by diners

#30. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,170 people (4.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Funeral attendants

Krysja // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Funeral attendants

- Median annual wage: $28,850
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 110 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Animal caretakers

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $28,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 630 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Childcare workers

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 1,090 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Physical therapist aides

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Physical therapist aides

- Median annual wage: $28,640
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 150 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Chattanooga

#25. Dishwashers

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $28,540
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 800 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $28,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 550 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $28,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: 1,480 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. School bus monitors

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

- Median annual wage: $27,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.44
- Total employment: 180 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Substitute teachers, short-term

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $27,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 230 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $27,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.40
- Total employment: 370 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Cashiers

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $27,780
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 5,560 people (20.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $27,770
- Median hourly wage: $13.35
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated delis in Chattanooga by diners

#15. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $27,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 990 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

aboutsung // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $27,450
- Median hourly wage: $13.20
- Total employment: 620 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Food preparation workers

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 2,030 people (7.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $27,300
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Fast food and counter workers

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $27,160
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 7,330 people (27.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Tour and travel guides

Carlovis // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Tour and travel guides

- Median annual wage: $27,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.04
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Information and record clerks, all other

Stokkete // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $26,820
- Median hourly wage: $12.90
- Total employment: 310 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Cooks, fast food

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $26,680
- Median hourly wage: $12.83
- Total employment: 1,040 people (3.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Waiters and waitresses

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $26,210
- Median hourly wage: $12.60
- Total employment: 4,920 people (18.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Median annual wage: $25,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.13
- Total employment: 150 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $24,200
- Median hourly wage: $11.64
- Total employment: 140 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Bartenders

santypan // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $23,180
- Median hourly wage: $11.14
- Total employment: 980 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Amusement and recreation attendants

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $23,080
- Median hourly wage: $11.10
- Total employment: 490 people (1.81 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.

You may also like: Highest-rated dessert shops in the Chattanooga area by diners