Lowest-paying jobs in Houston
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 Houston. 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. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $29,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 320 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 430 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Photographers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 970 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Passenger attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,000
- Median hourly wage: $13.94
- Total employment: 210 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Painting, coating, and decorating workers
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 160 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Tutors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 3,440 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Baggage porters and bellhops (tie)
- Median annual wage: $28,730
- Median hourly wage: $13.81
- Total employment: 400 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,500
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 7,950 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 71,190 people (23.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.65
- Total employment: 210 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $28,360
- Median hourly wage: $13.64
- Total employment: 800 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.59
- Total employment: 13,980 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.58
- Total employment: 1,480 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $27,990
- Median hourly wage: $13.46
- Total employment: 4,830 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 1,490 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Psychiatric aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.44
- Total employment: Not available
#33. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.44
- Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 46,440 people (15.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,700
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 4,320 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $27,570
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 2,020 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $27,470
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 22,150 people (7.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $27,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.19
- Total employment: 9,570 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,400
- Median hourly wage: $13.17
- Total employment: 3,380 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.14
- Total employment: 30,610 people (10.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Cutters and trimmers, hand
- Median annual wage: $27,260
- Median hourly wage: $13.11
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 3,320 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,190
- Median hourly wage: $13.07
- Total employment: 9,050 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Barbers
- Median annual wage: $27,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.03
- Total employment: Not available
#21. Cooks, all other
- Median annual wage: $26,630
- Median hourly wage: $12.80
- Total employment: 320 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $26,580
- Median hourly wage: $12.78
- Total employment: 6,980 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,540
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 3,390 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $26,020
- Median hourly wage: $12.51
- Total employment: 66,500 people (21.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $25,760
- Median hourly wage: $12.39
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $25,390
- Median hourly wage: $12.21
- Total employment: 3,330 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $24,660
- Median hourly wage: $11.85
- Total employment: 910 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Entertainment attendants and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $24,440
- Median hourly wage: $11.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $24,240
- Median hourly wage: $11.65
- Total employment: 9,510 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Sewers, hand
- Median annual wage: $24,050
- Median hourly wage: $11.56
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
- Median annual wage: $23,910
- Median hourly wage: $11.49
- Total employment: 240 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $23,770
- Median hourly wage: $11.43
- Total employment: 11,850 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,130
- Median hourly wage: $11.12
- Total employment: 11,770 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $23,110
- Median hourly wage: $11.11
- Total employment: 10,300 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $22,880
- Median hourly wage: $11.00
- Total employment: 4,760 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $22,850
- Median hourly wage: $10.99
- Total employment: 1,290 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $22,810
- Median hourly wage: $10.97
- Total employment: 6,970 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,330
- Median hourly wage: $10.74
- Total employment: 68,660 people (22.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $21,780
- Median hourly wage: $10.47
- Total employment: 60,200 people (19.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $21,590
- Median hourly wage: $10.38
- Total employment: 2,910 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $21,270
- Median hourly wage: $10.23
- Total employment: 50,890 people (16.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
