Lucky Business // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $36,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 130 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Blacksburg
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 Blacksburg. 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Blacksburg by diners
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $36,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.48
- Total employment: 610 people (8.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Helpers--electricians
- Median annual wage: $36,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $36,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The 30 most popular homes for sale in Blacksburg
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 310 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $35,790
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 400 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 160 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 1,120 people (15.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.88
- Total employment: 740 people (9.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated chicken wings in Blacksburg by diners
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 180 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 500 people (6.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.40
- Total employment: 150 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $33,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 350 people (4.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $33,940
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 690 people (9.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Blacksburg
worradirek // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $33,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $33,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 320 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $33,310
- Median hourly wage: $16.01
- Total employment: 1,460 people (19.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,260
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mirnes // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $33,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg that require a graduate degree
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $32,720
- Median hourly wage: $15.73
- Total employment: Not available
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $32,710
- Median hourly wage: $15.72
- Total employment: 70 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.51
- Total employment: 120 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $32,080
- Median hourly wage: $15.43
- Total employment: 130 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,510
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 180 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Blacksburg
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $31,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 130 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $30,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 110 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.54
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.53
- Total employment: 1,710 people (23.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Blacksburg that require a graduate degree
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 1,290 people (17.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $29,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 60 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,710
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 200 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 150 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $29,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: 170 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Blacksburg by diners
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $28,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 70 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
37 / 50#13. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 110 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 310 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.89
- Total employment: 570 people (7.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,120
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 140 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Blacksburg this year
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 160 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 170 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $27,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.46
- Total employment: 1,650 people (22.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $27,650
- Median hourly wage: $13.29
- Total employment: 970 people (13.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $27,600
- Median hourly wage: $13.27
- Total employment: 300 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Blacksburg
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,540
- Median hourly wage: $13.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,340
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 260 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $26,690
- Median hourly wage: $12.83
- Total employment: 2,130 people (28.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $26,540
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 150 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Blacksburg by diners
