adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,660
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C.
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 Washington, D.C.. 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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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $37,610
- Median hourly wage: $18.08
- Total employment: 450 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 35,390 people (11.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 470 people (0.15 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: $37,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 40,900 people (13.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
- Median annual wage: $37,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.89
- Total employment: 220 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 4,380 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.84
- Total employment: 57,480 people (18.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 3,180 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 4,540 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $36,970
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 1,080 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 4,840 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
13 / 50#37. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 3,490 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,820
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 9,740 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,810
- Median hourly wage: $17.70
- Total employment: 15,560 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 5,900 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $36,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 5,530 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 6,010 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $36,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 12,140 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 14,120 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BearFotos // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Median annual wage: $36,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 9,430 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $35,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 3,580 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $35,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 8,500 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,760
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 6,730 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 210 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,730
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 65,060 people (20.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 3,480 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $35,460
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 11,290 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $35,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 3,300 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#18. Driver/sales workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 9,100 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
32 / 50#18. Cooks, fast food (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 10,190 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 2,690 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robilad Co // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Craft artists
- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 1,880 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 1,200 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 54,070 people (17.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $34,550
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 320 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $34,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $34,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 63,090 people (20.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $34,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.36
- Total employment: 290 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruwan Muhandiramge // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $33,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 520 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nick_Nick // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Gambling and sports book writers and runners
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 110 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $32,430
- Median hourly wage: $15.59
- Total employment: 830 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
46 / 50#2. Shampooers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 740 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Zveaghintev // Shutterstock
47 / 50#2. Gambling service workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#2. Gambling dealers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: Not available
shocky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 470 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,840
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.01 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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