Lowest-paying jobs in Knoxville

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 Knoxville. 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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Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Residential advisors

- Median annual wage: $32,240
- Median hourly wage: $15.50
- Total employment: 460 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $31,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.31
- Total employment: 1,410 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $31,720
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 410 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $31,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.24
- Total employment: 600 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Switchboard operators, including answering service

- Median annual wage: $31,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Pressmaster // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#44. Baggage porters and bellhops (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.97
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Library assistants, clerical (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.97
- Total employment: 160 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

- Median annual wage: $31,050
- Median hourly wage: $14.93
- Total employment: 1,260 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $30,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 3,060 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $30,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 580 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $30,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Physical therapist aides

- Median annual wage: $30,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 150 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $30,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.73
- Total employment: 280 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#36. Retail salespersons (tie)

- Median annual wage: $30,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 11,980 people (28.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Motor vehicle operators, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $30,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.48
- Total employment: 270 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

shocky // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers

- Median annual wage: $30,090
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 140 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $30,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $30,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 960 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $29,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 220 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians

- Median annual wage: $29,770
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $29,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 5,340 people (12.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Sewing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 430 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $29,550
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 490 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $29,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 6,910 people (16.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $29,310
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 1,710 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $29,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 850 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 1,820 people (4.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

maxbelchenko // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Agricultural workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 110 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Concierges

- Median annual wage: $28,850
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 80 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 2,250 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $28,640
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 870 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 270 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $28,450
- Median hourly wage: $13.68
- Total employment: 610 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 7,410 people (17.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $28,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 1,540 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $27,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 9,140 people (21.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $27,680
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 11,200 people (26.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $27,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Motortion Films // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Personal care and service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: 130 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $27,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 270 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $27,120
- Median hourly wage: $13.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $26,760
- Median hourly wage: $12.86
- Total employment: 2,890 people (6.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $25,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.19
- Total employment: 220 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $25,160
- Median hourly wage: $12.10
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $23,630
- Median hourly wage: $11.36
- Total employment: 660 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $23,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,010 people (7.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $22,270
- Median hourly wage: $10.71
- Total employment: 1,570 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Telemarketers

- Median annual wage: $21,250
- Median hourly wage: $10.21
- Total employment: 340 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $19,760
- Median hourly wage: $9.50
- Total employment: 340 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $18,240
- Median hourly wage: $8.77
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.77 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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