Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.72
- Total employment: 130 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Appleton
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 Appleton. 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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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $36,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 340 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 340 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 300 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Blanscape // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Conveyor operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Goldsithney // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.48
- Total employment: 190 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $36,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 180 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 1,810 people (14.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 80 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $35,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 240 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,040 people (8.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 140 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 2,760 people (22.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Median annual wage: $35,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $34,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 180 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,650
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: $16.63
- Total employment: 530 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,480
- Median hourly wage: $16.58
- Total employment: 490 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $34,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 90 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $34,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 2,060 people (16.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $33,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 280 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 200 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $32,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.55
- Total employment: 550 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,150
- Median hourly wage: $15.46
- Total employment: 3,640 people (29.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,990
- Median hourly wage: $15.38
- Total employment: 160 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,680
- Median hourly wage: $15.23
- Total employment: 750 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $31,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $30,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $29,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 80 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,710
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 2,770 people (22.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 250 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $29,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 1,730 people (13.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $28,880
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 180 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $28,810
- Median hourly wage: $13.85
- Total employment: 160 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 2,780 people (22.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,240
- Median hourly wage: $13.58
- Total employment: 250 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.49
- Total employment: 180 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,850
- Median hourly wage: $13.39
- Total employment: 370 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $27,390
- Median hourly wage: $13.17
- Total employment: 180 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $27,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $27,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.15
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $25,970
- Median hourly wage: $12.49
- Total employment: 570 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $25,690
- Median hourly wage: $12.35
- Total employment: 260 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $25,310
- Median hourly wage: $12.17
- Total employment: 190 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $23,810
- Median hourly wage: $11.45
- Total employment: 400 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $22,670
- Median hourly wage: $10.90
- Total employment: 1,060 people (8.57 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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