DSBfoto // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.72
- Total employment: 5,950 people (14.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Madison
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 Madison. 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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Virrage Images // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 5,710 people (14.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $36,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 350 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,660 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $36,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 100 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 780 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
8 / 50#42. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,130
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 480 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Physical therapist aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,130
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,970
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 8,170 people (20.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock
11 / 50#39. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 340 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Funeral attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
13 / 50#37. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 1,630 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 600 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 220 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 2,530 people (6.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tong_stocker // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Helpers--carpenters
- Median annual wage: $35,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: Not available
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 680 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $34,990
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 2,270 people (5.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $34,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 8,800 people (21.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 500 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $33,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.15
- Total employment: 230 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 840 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $32,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 400 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 840 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $31,410
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 580 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $30,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.90
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 8,670 people (21.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.71
- Total employment: 160 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $30,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.67
- Total employment: 5,330 people (13.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $30,210
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 940 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $30,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.49
- Total employment: 1,150 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 8,620 people (21.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $29,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 870 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 330 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 710 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $28,850
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 300 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $28,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $28,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 1,280 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Cameris // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Taxi drivers
- Median annual wage: $28,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 160 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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amarklc // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Museum technicians and conservators
- Median annual wage: $27,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $27,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.30
- Total employment: 190 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 900 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $23,110
- Median hourly wage: $11.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $22,450
- Median hourly wage: $10.79
- Total employment: 3,650 people (9.01 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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