Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $41,600
- Median hourly wage: $20.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Burlington
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 Burlington. 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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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $40,910
- Median hourly wage: $19.67
- Total employment: 190 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $40,900
- Median hourly wage: $19.66
- Total employment: 90 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $40,700
- Median hourly wage: $19.57
- Total employment: 210 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $40,540
- Median hourly wage: $19.49
- Total employment: 1,050 people (8.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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giocalde // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $39,980
- Median hourly wage: $19.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $39,940
- Median hourly wage: $19.20
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $39,730
- Median hourly wage: $19.10
- Total employment: 280 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $39,610
- Median hourly wage: $19.04
- Total employment: 600 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedomz // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $39,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.98
- Total employment: Not available
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $39,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $39,240
- Median hourly wage: $18.87
- Total employment: 140 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $39,220
- Median hourly wage: $18.86
- Total employment: 2,150 people (17.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $39,200
- Median hourly wage: $18.84
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $39,140
- Median hourly wage: $18.82
- Total employment: 290 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $38,910
- Median hourly wage: $18.71
- Total employment: 250 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $38,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,660 people (13.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $38,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.50
- Total employment: 2,130 people (17.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $38,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.48
- Total employment: 490 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $38,410
- Median hourly wage: $18.47
- Total employment: 140 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $38,100
- Median hourly wage: $18.32
- Total employment: 350 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $38,070
- Median hourly wage: $18.30
- Total employment: 370 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $38,040
- Median hourly wage: $18.29
- Total employment: 640 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,960
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 120 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $37,750
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Educational instruction and library workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $37,640
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 280 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $37,610
- Median hourly wage: $18.08
- Total employment: 500 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $37,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: Not available
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M2020 // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Helpers--electricians
- Median annual wage: $36,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 440 people (3.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 220 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $36,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 3,390 people (27.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
36 / 50#14. Recreation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 370 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 3,070 people (25.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 450 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $35,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 2,340 people (19.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $35,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 120 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $34,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 110 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#6. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 220 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.93
- Total employment: 140 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: Not available
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $30,460
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,930
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $28,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 90 people (0.72 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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