GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 830 people (7.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Longview, Texas
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 Longview. 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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2 / 50#49. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $30,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $30,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $30,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.48
- Total employment: 370 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 230 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $29,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 480 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,880
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 1,500 people (12.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $29,770
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 130 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $29,590
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 90 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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guteksk7 // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
- Median annual wage: $29,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.18
- Total employment: 180 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 330 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kuznetsov Dmitriy // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 100 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.90
- Total employment: 70 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 950 people (8.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $28,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $28,650
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 290 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,540
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 3,350 people (28.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
20 / 50#30. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Butchers and meat cutters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 100 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $28,400
- Median hourly wage: $13.65
- Total employment: 340 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $28,290
- Median hourly wage: $13.60
- Total employment: 230 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
alexdov // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 180 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jason Person // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.43
- Total employment: 400 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.28
- Total employment: Not available
santypan // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $27,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.23
- Total employment: 280 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 230 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $26,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.96
- Total employment: 120 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $26,880
- Median hourly wage: $12.92
- Total employment: 130 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,650
- Median hourly wage: $12.81
- Total employment: 110 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,450
- Median hourly wage: $12.72
- Total employment: 570 people (4.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $26,360
- Median hourly wage: $12.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $26,170
- Median hourly wage: $12.58
- Total employment: 230 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $25,500
- Median hourly wage: $12.26
- Total employment: 2,810 people (23.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $25,330
- Median hourly wage: $12.18
- Total employment: 1,440 people (12.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $25,300
- Median hourly wage: $12.17
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $24,280
- Median hourly wage: $11.67
- Total employment: 250 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $24,080
- Median hourly wage: $11.58
- Total employment: 1,140 people (9.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,950
- Median hourly wage: $11.51
- Total employment: 140 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,810
- Median hourly wage: $11.45
- Total employment: 360 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $23,790
- Median hourly wage: $11.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 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: $23,290
- Median hourly wage: $11.20
- Total employment: 3,710 people (31.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $23,120
- Median hourly wage: $11.12
- Total employment: 240 people (2.04 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: $23,100
- Median hourly wage: $11.11
- Total employment: 2,220 people (18.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $22,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,350 people (11.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $22,700
- Median hourly wage: $10.91
- Total employment: 350 people (2.98 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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