Syda Productions // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $33,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.07
- Total employment: 140 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Beckley
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 Beckley. 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.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Median annual wage: $33,010
- Median hourly wage: $15.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $32,670
- Median hourly wage: $15.71
- Total employment: 60 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
5 / 50#45. Stockers and order fillers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 780 people (18.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 160 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 110 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $30,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.68
- Total employment: 150 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $30,510
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 730 people (16.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $30,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 300 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: 320 people (7.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $29,380
- Median hourly wage: $14.13
- Total employment: 90 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 440 people (10.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 700 people (16.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 640 people (14.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#34. Tire repairers and changers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,470
- Median hourly wage: $13.69
- Total employment: 140 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $28,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.60
- Total employment: 260 people (6.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $28,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 80 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 190 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $28,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 240 people (5.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $28,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 70 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $27,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.44
- Total employment: 160 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,890
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 70 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $27,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 320 people (7.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 100 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,540
- Median hourly wage: $13.24
- Total employment: 480 people (11.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,460
- Median hourly wage: $13.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $26,850
- Median hourly wage: $12.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $26,740
- Median hourly wage: $12.86
- Total employment: 1,310 people (30.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $26,530
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 70 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,330
- Median hourly wage: $12.66
- Total employment: 450 people (10.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $25,970
- Median hourly wage: $12.49
- Total employment: 180 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $25,080
- Median hourly wage: $12.06
- Total employment: 470 people (11.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ibnu alias // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $24,210
- Median hourly wage: $11.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $24,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.62
- Total employment: 100 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $24,100
- Median hourly wage: $11.59
- Total employment: 430 people (10.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,400
- Median hourly wage: $11.25
- Total employment: 70 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $23,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.14
- Total employment: 1,740 people (40.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
42 / 50#8. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $22,860
- Median hourly wage: $10.99
- Total employment: 160 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $22,860
- Median hourly wage: $10.99
- Total employment: 1,160 people (27.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $22,820
- Median hourly wage: $10.97
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $22,810
- Median hourly wage: $10.97
- Total employment: 130 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $22,590
- Median hourly wage: $10.86
- Total employment: 130 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $22,270
- Median hourly wage: $10.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $21,720
- Median hourly wage: $10.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $21,490
- Median hourly wage: $10.33
- Total employment: 1,020 people (23.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $20,930
- Median hourly wage: $10.06
- Total employment: 130 people (2.95 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.
