Lowest-paying jobs in Midland

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 Midland. 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.

New Africa // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $38,390
- Median hourly wage: $18.46
- Total employment: 130 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

- Median annual wage: $38,260
- Median hourly wage: $18.39
- Total employment: 910 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Metal workers and plastic workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $38,170
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: Not available

Standret // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Counter and rental clerks

- Median annual wage: $38,140
- Median hourly wage: $18.34
- Total employment: 290 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Helpers--production workers

- Median annual wage: $38,080
- Median hourly wage: $18.31
- Total employment: 400 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Parts salespersons

- Median annual wage: $37,800
- Median hourly wage: $18.17
- Total employment: 250 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 410 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Nursing assistants

- Median annual wage: $36,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 430 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $36,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Ophthalmic medical technicians

- Median annual wage: $36,730
- Median hourly wage: $17.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Tellers

- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.62
- Total employment: 200 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Cineberg // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Helpers, construction trades, all other

- Median annual wage: $36,230
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

zhu difeng // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers

- Median annual wage: $36,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 100 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kanemme6 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Tire repairers and changers

- Median annual wage: $36,110
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 170 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 120 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $35,900
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $35,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.22
- Total employment: 970 people (8.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Julian Bohorquez // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians

- Median annual wage: $35,700
- Median hourly wage: $17.16
- Total employment: 330 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $35,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 590 people (4.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Coaches and scouts

- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DSBfoto // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 1,190 people (9.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 210 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $33,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $32,880
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $32,670
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jason Person // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $32,380
- Median hourly wage: $15.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $32,030
- Median hourly wage: $15.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 2,250 people (18.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $31,350
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 410 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 260 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $30,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 220 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $30,270
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 200 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 130 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 90 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 840 people (7.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $29,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.18
- Total employment: 590 people (4.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $29,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 1,490 people (12.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $29,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 1,880 people (15.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $29,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 300 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $28,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 610 people (5.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $28,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 450 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $28,530
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 320 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $28,500
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 420 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $28,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 2,820 people (23.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $27,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 170 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $27,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 150 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $26,820
- Median hourly wage: $12.90
- Total employment: 300 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)