Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $42,700
- Median hourly wage: $20.53
- Total employment: 1,610 people (26.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Sheboygan
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 Sheboygan. 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Sheboygan area by diners
New Africa // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $41,440
- Median hourly wage: $19.93
- Total employment: 560 people (9.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $41,230
- Median hourly wage: $19.82
- Total employment: 420 people (6.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $40,920
- Median hourly wage: $19.67
- Total employment: 80 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $40,410
- Median hourly wage: $19.43
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Sheboygan by diners
Milton Rodriguez // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Prepress technicians and workers
- Median annual wage: $40,170
- Median hourly wage: $19.31
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
guteksk7 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
- Median annual wage: $39,880
- Median hourly wage: $19.18
- Total employment: 30 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $39,150
- Median hourly wage: $18.82
- Total employment: 140 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $39,080
- Median hourly wage: $18.79
- Total employment: 190 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
10 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,950
- Median hourly wage: $18.72
- Total employment: 430 people (7.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Sheboygan 7-day weather forecast
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Coaches and scouts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $38,950
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nataliia Maksymenko // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Median annual wage: $38,730
- Median hourly wage: $18.62
- Total employment: 110 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $38,280
- Median hourly wage: $18.40
- Total employment: 140 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
giocalde // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Print binding and finishing workers
- Median annual wage: $37,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $37,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Sheboygan
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.85
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $37,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.79
- Total employment: 60 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.60
- Total employment: 430 people (7.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $36,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 200 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 160 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Sheboygan by diners
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 480 people (7.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $35,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $35,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 60 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,470
- Median hourly wage: $17.05
- Total employment: 170 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $35,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Sheboygan
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 1,310 people (21.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 810 people (13.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $34,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 150 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 100 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: People from these metros are looking to buy homes in Sheboygan
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 260 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $33,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 1,190 people (19.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $32,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 120 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,940
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 1,120 people (18.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $31,910
- Median hourly wage: $15.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Sheboygan by diners
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $31,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 380 people (6.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,280
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 110 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $31,220
- Median hourly wage: $15.01
- Total employment: 100 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 180 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,720
- Median hourly wage: $14.77
- Total employment: 90 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants in Sheboygan by diners
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 90 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,570
- Median hourly wage: $14.22
- Total employment: 1,360 people (22.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 110 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 760 people (12.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 1,170 people (19.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Sheboygan that require a graduate degree
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.49
- Total employment: 90 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $27,920
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 110 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $27,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.03
- Total employment: 150 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $25,790
- Median hourly wage: $12.40
- Total employment: 470 people (7.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 180 people (2.92 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.
You may also like: Best restaurants for 4 cuisines in Sheboygan
