Lowest-paying jobs in New York City

Stacker
#50. Telemarketers

- Median annual wage: $38,420
- Median hourly wage: $18.47
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $38,350
- Median hourly wage: $18.44
- Total employment: 100 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Cooks, short order (tie)

- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: Not available

#47. Stockers and order fillers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: 130,860 people (13.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Grounds maintenance workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $38,180
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: Not available

#45. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $38,010
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 3,150 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $37,990
- Median hourly wage: $18.27
- Total employment: 605,590 people (64.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $37,950
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 16,140 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $37,940
- Median hourly wage: $18.24
- Total employment: 210 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $37,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 14,540 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $37,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.98
- Total employment: 19,070 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Library assistants, clerical

- Median annual wage: $37,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 5,660 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 212,470 people (22.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $37,320
- Median hourly wage: $17.94
- Total employment: 3,300 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $37,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 37,610 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Food batchmakers

- Median annual wage: $37,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 7,200 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#34. Pharmacy aides

- Median annual wage: $37,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 2,340 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Shoe and leather workers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 340 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $37,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 123,210 people (13.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians

- Median annual wage: $37,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 770 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers

- Median annual wage: $36,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 1,780 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 15,840 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians

- Median annual wage: $36,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 600 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers

- Median annual wage: $36,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 210 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $36,670
- Median hourly wage: $17.63
- Total employment: 10,920 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Median annual wage: $36,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 8,380 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Etchers and engravers

- Median annual wage: $36,610
- Median hourly wage: $17.60
- Total employment: 340 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 46,800 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Sewing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 6,160 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 7,370 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $36,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 26,620 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $36,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 54,130 people (5.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Sewers, hand

- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.44
- Total employment: 210 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Automotive and watercraft service attendants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 8,210 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Dishwashers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 26,610 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: Not available

#14. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 15,450 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Cashiers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 163,130 people (17.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Physical therapist aides (tie)

- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 5,150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $35,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.03
- Total employment: 175,790 people (18.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Personal care and service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 2,700 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 13,490 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 1,510 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

- Median annual wage: $34,980
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 2,260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Slaughterers and meat packers

- Median annual wage: $34,570
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 980 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 13,550 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 17,550 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 23,850 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 3,590 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Shampooers

- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 1,450 people (0.15 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.

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock