Lowest-paying jobs in Knoxville
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Knoxville. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 440 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $29,050
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 160 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 410 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $28,930
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $28,450
- Median hourly wage: $13.68
- Total employment: 380 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: 1,190 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Woodworkers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Medical equipment preparers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.56
- Total employment: 180 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: 11,510 people (28.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $28,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.44
- Total employment: 410 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $27,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 320 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 820 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 780 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 7,230 people (18.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 690 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,300
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 450 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,200
- Median hourly wage: $13.08
- Total employment: 2,450 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $27,170
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 470 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,870
- Median hourly wage: $12.92
- Total employment: 360 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,340
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 570 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $26,300
- Median hourly wage: $12.65
- Total employment: 810 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $26,240
- Median hourly wage: $12.62
- Total employment: 3,470 people (8.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 3,000 people (7.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $26,030
- Median hourly wage: $12.51
- Total employment: 1,240 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $25,710
- Median hourly wage: $12.36
- Total employment: 370 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $25,620
- Median hourly wage: $12.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Artists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $25,010
- Median hourly wage: $12.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $24,520
- Median hourly wage: $11.79
- Total employment: 8,670 people (21.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $24,450
- Median hourly wage: $11.75
- Total employment: 2,000 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $23,660
- Median hourly wage: $11.38
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $23,320
- Median hourly wage: $11.21
- Total employment: 1,290 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $23,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.14
- Total employment: 1,090 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers
- Median annual wage: $23,130
- Median hourly wage: $11.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $23,090
- Median hourly wage: $11.10
- Total employment: 160 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $22,780
- Median hourly wage: $10.95
- Total employment: 160 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $22,720
- Median hourly wage: $10.92
- Total employment: 150 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $22,670
- Median hourly wage: $10.90
- Total employment: 4,620 people (11.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Childcare workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $22,620
- Median hourly wage: $10.88
- Total employment: 1,530 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $22,620
- Median hourly wage: $10.88
- Total employment: 7,410 people (18.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $22,420
- Median hourly wage: $10.78
- Total employment: 1,440 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Forest and conservation workers
- Median annual wage: $22,300
- Median hourly wage: $10.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $22,100
- Median hourly wage: $10.62
- Total employment: 490 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $21,230
- Median hourly wage: $10.21
- Total employment: 140 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $20,420
- Median hourly wage: $9.82
- Total employment: 7,320 people (18.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $18,720
- Median hourly wage: $9.00
- Total employment: 350 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $17,880
- Median hourly wage: $8.60
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $16,670
- Median hourly wage: $8.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $16,480
- Median hourly wage: $7.92
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
