PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
1 / 50#49. Physical therapist aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 160 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in El Paso
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 El Paso. 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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O.PASH // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Animal trainers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,140
- Median hourly wage: $13.53
- Total employment: 550 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 360 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 9,830 people (29.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $27,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 450 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $27,880
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $27,840
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 120 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 510 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $27,460
- Median hourly wage: $13.20
- Total employment: 1,770 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kelvn // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Passenger attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,320
- Median hourly wage: $13.14
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,270
- Median hourly wage: $13.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,150
- Median hourly wage: $13.05
- Total employment: 1,070 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $27,140
- Median hourly wage: $13.05
- Total employment: 510 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,840
- Median hourly wage: $12.91
- Total employment: 1,340 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $26,760
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 3,530 people (10.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $26,740
- Median hourly wage: $12.86
- Total employment: 460 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $26,720
- Median hourly wage: $12.85
- Total employment: 810 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
evgenii mitroshin // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Median annual wage: $26,700
- Median hourly wage: $12.84
- Total employment: 290 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Martin Smith // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,580
- Median hourly wage: $12.78
- Total employment: 150 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $26,550
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,590 people (7.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruwan Muhandiramge // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $26,530
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $26,520
- Median hourly wage: $12.75
- Total employment: 1,130 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,230
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $26,070
- Median hourly wage: $12.53
- Total employment: 5,670 people (17.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $25,910
- Median hourly wage: $12.46
- Total employment: 1,520 people (4.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $25,760
- Median hourly wage: $12.38
- Total employment: 220 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $25,690
- Median hourly wage: $12.35
- Total employment: 830 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $25,640
- Median hourly wage: $12.33
- Total employment: 540 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tong_stocker // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Helpers--carpenters
- Median annual wage: $25,210
- Median hourly wage: $12.12
- Total employment: 90 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
33 / 50#17. Shoe and leather workers and repairers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 340 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cooks, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $24,750
- Median hourly wage: $11.90
- Total employment: 1,100 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $24,210
- Median hourly wage: $11.64
- Total employment: 7,580 people (22.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $23,980
- Median hourly wage: $11.53
- Total employment: 3,840 people (11.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,670
- Median hourly wage: $11.38
- Total employment: 1,500 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $23,600
- Median hourly wage: $11.35
- Total employment: 130 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $23,420
- Median hourly wage: $11.26
- Total employment: 450 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $23,300
- Median hourly wage: $11.20
- Total employment: 410 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $23,230
- Median hourly wage: $11.17
- Total employment: 1,040 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,020
- Median hourly wage: $11.07
- Total employment: 550 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $22,740
- Median hourly wage: $10.94
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $22,710
- Median hourly wage: $10.92
- Total employment: 990 people (2.97 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: $22,570
- Median hourly wage: $10.85
- Total employment: 11,540 people (34.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olaf Speier // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Shoe machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $22,320
- Median hourly wage: $10.73
- Total employment: 170 people (0.51 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: $22,310
- Median hourly wage: $10.73
- Total employment: 14,040 people (42.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $20,760
- Median hourly wage: $9.98
- Total employment: 610 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $20,000
- Median hourly wage: $9.62
- Total employment: 300 people (0.91 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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