Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Corpus Christi
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 Corpus Christi. 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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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 180 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 560 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 1,220 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 130 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $30,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 120 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Agricultural equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $30,030
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 60 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 540 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 200 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 2,880 people (15.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.27
- Total employment: 2,220 people (11.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $29,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 360 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $29,380
- Median hourly wage: $14.13
- Total employment: 300 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MAVV // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $29,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $29,320
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 90 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $28,810
- Median hourly wage: $13.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 4,670 people (24.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,650
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $28,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: 120 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,320
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,120
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 3,470 people (18.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 570 people (3.05 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: $27,930
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 240 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Preschool teachers, except special education (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,920
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 320 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Bartenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,920
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 1,070 people (5.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,890
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 280 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,810
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 280 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitreel // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $27,770
- Median hourly wage: $13.35
- Total employment: 90 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 320 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 1,140 people (6.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.22
- Total employment: 530 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,420
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 520 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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encierro // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $27,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,210
- Median hourly wage: $13.08
- Total employment: 2,490 people (13.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,160
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 790 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.03
- Total employment: 3,960 people (21.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $26,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 910 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,320
- Median hourly wage: $12.66
- Total employment: 270 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,090
- Median hourly wage: $12.55
- Total employment: 530 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $25,490
- Median hourly wage: $12.25
- Total employment: 610 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $25,200
- Median hourly wage: $12.11
- Total employment: 260 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $24,460
- Median hourly wage: $11.76
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $23,740
- Median hourly wage: $11.41
- Total employment: 6,840 people (36.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $23,450
- Median hourly wage: $11.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $23,040
- Median hourly wage: $11.08
- Total employment: 6,730 people (35.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $21,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,670 people (8.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $18,740
- Median hourly wage: $9.01
- Total employment: Not available
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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