grivet // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $42,590
- Median hourly wage: $20.48
- Total employment: Not available
Lowest-paying jobs in Bellingham
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 Bellingham. 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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worradirek // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $42,450
- Median hourly wage: $20.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $42,080
- Median hourly wage: $20.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
alexdov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
- Median annual wage: $41,930
- Median hourly wage: $20.16
- Total employment: 130 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $41,240
- Median hourly wage: $19.83
- Total employment: 1,110 people (12.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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encierro // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $40,990
- Median hourly wage: $19.71
- Total employment: 80 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,710
- Median hourly wage: $19.57
- Total employment: 810 people (8.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $40,570
- Median hourly wage: $19.51
- Total employment: 380 people (4.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $40,400
- Median hourly wage: $19.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $40,310
- Median hourly wage: $19.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DuxX // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $40,030
- Median hourly wage: $19.25
- Total employment: 320 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $40,020
- Median hourly wage: $19.24
- Total employment: 1,350 people (14.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $39,780
- Median hourly wage: $19.13
- Total employment: 160 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Helpers--electricians
- Median annual wage: $39,670
- Median hourly wage: $19.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $39,630
- Median hourly wage: $19.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $39,600
- Median hourly wage: $19.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $39,080
- Median hourly wage: $18.79
- Total employment: 290 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $38,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.58
- Total employment: 140 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $38,580
- Median hourly wage: $18.55
- Total employment: 100 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $38,550
- Median hourly wage: $18.53
- Total employment: 60 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MAVV // Shutterstock
21 / 50#29. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,160
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: 100 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sewing machine operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,160
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,870
- Median hourly wage: $18.21
- Total employment: 230 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SGr // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Machine feeders and offbearers
- Median annual wage: $37,850
- Median hourly wage: $18.20
- Total employment: 130 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
O.PASH // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $37,810
- Median hourly wage: $18.18
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $37,780
- Median hourly wage: $18.16
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $37,760
- Median hourly wage: $18.16
- Total employment: 210 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
28 / 50#22. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.87
- Total employment: 360 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 740 people (8.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,110
- Median hourly wage: $17.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 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: $36,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 180 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $36,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 140 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 510 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 210 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#15. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 290 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 190 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $36,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 290 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 2,750 people (30.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 270 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 320 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 170 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $36,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 2,220 people (24.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $35,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 100 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $35,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 2,820 people (30.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $35,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 70 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 240 people (2.67 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: $35,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.91
- Total employment: 320 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,170
- Median hourly wage: $16.91
- Total employment: 150 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $34,880
- Median hourly wage: $16.77
- Total employment: 140 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 70 people (0.76 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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