Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.12
- Total employment: 450 people (6.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Janesville
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 Janesville. 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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Rido // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $37,580
- Median hourly wage: $18.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $37,570
- Median hourly wage: $18.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $37,540
- Median hourly wage: $18.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $37,490
- Median hourly wage: $18.02
- Total employment: 630 people (9.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $37,460
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 70 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,130
- Median hourly wage: $17.85
- Total employment: 1,400 people (20.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 450 people (6.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
9 / 50#41. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 260 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 90 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Order clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 90 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $36,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $36,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: Not available
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 580 people (8.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Goldsithney // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,730
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 1,700 people (24.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 300 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $34,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 960 people (13.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $34,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 170 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $34,310
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,730
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 110 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $33,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 1,610 people (23.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $33,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.99
- Total employment: 880 people (12.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,150
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 100 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $31,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 320 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $30,810
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 550 people (7.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 110 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 1,840 people (26.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $29,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $29,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 90 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 120 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $28,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $28,390
- Median hourly wage: $13.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 1,790 people (25.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,290
- Median hourly wage: $13.60
- Total employment: 970 people (14.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 100 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $27,770
- Median hourly wage: $13.35
- Total employment: 160 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,980
- Median hourly wage: $12.97
- Total employment: 330 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $26,930
- Median hourly wage: $12.95
- Total employment: 170 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $25,950
- Median hourly wage: $12.48
- Total employment: 210 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $25,300
- Median hourly wage: $12.16
- Total employment: 170 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,860
- Median hourly wage: $11.47
- Total employment: 80 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $23,160
- Median hourly wage: $11.13
- Total employment: 260 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $22,410
- Median hourly wage: $10.77
- Total employment: 60 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $21,590
- Median hourly wage: $10.38
- Total employment: 740 people (10.69 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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