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1 / 50#49. Light truck drivers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $46,370
- Median hourly wage: $22.29
- Total employment: 230 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Longview
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 Longview. 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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2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $46,370
- Median hourly wage: $22.29
- Total employment: 250 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $46,130
- Median hourly wage: $22.18
- Total employment: 260 people (6.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $46,020
- Median hourly wage: $22.13
- Total employment: 440 people (10.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $45,990
- Median hourly wage: $22.11
- Total employment: 70 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DuxX // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $45,980
- Median hourly wage: $22.11
- Total employment: 30 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $45,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.97
- Total employment: 190 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $45,390
- Median hourly wage: $21.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $45,340
- Median hourly wage: $21.80
- Total employment: 410 people (10.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $45,070
- Median hourly wage: $21.67
- Total employment: 250 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $45,020
- Median hourly wage: $21.65
- Total employment: 390 people (9.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $44,820
- Median hourly wage: $21.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $44,240
- Median hourly wage: $21.27
- Total employment: 130 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $43,880
- Median hourly wage: $21.09
- Total employment: 230 people (5.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $43,700
- Median hourly wage: $21.01
- Total employment: 130 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $43,520
- Median hourly wage: $20.92
- Total employment: 880 people (21.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $43,300
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 700 people (17.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $43,290
- Median hourly wage: $20.81
- Total employment: 540 people (13.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $42,910
- Median hourly wage: $20.63
- Total employment: 130 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Median annual wage: $42,300
- Median hourly wage: $20.34
- Total employment: 60 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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worradirek // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $41,790
- Median hourly wage: $20.09
- Total employment: 130 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $41,600
- Median hourly wage: $20.00
- Total employment: 100 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $40,920
- Median hourly wage: $19.67
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,250
- Median hourly wage: $19.35
- Total employment: 310 people (7.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $39,380
- Median hourly wage: $18.94
- Total employment: 150 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $39,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $38,910
- Median hourly wage: $18.71
- Total employment: 90 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $38,620
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 60 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.12
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,500
- Median hourly wage: $18.03
- Total employment: 720 people (17.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
31 / 50#19. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 50 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cooks, restaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 340 people (8.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $37,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.95
- Total employment: 1,040 people (25.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,320
- Median hourly wage: $17.94
- Total employment: 280 people (6.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,200
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 180 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,080
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 60 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $36,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 110 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 140 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $35,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 180 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 90 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $35,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 1,000 people (24.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.93
- Total employment: 70 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $35,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 1,340 people (32.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 70 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $34,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 40 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,230
- Median hourly wage: $16.46
- Total employment: 90 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $33,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.84 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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