Median wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals each of the 18 lowest-paying jobs in America for 2020 earn less than $30,000 in median annual salaries.
The lowest-paying job in America for 2020? A median-earning dishwasher who works 40 hours a week over 52 weeks a year can expect to earn the equivalent of $11.34 per hour.
Delving deeper into the data, the food and hospitality industries are a common feature for America’s lowest-paying jobs. Nine of the 18 jobs represented on 2020’s list relate to work involving food preparation and restaurant staff roles.
In addition, each of the three lowest-paying jobs (dishwashers, restaurant hosts/hostesses and fast-food workers) are the only jobs in America where median-income is expected at $24K or lower.
Lowest-Paying Jobs In America 2020
The following are the jobs earning the lowest annual incomes in America for 2020, ranked from lowest to highest earners.
- Dishwashers; $23.6K median annual income
- Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses; $23.7K median annual income
- Fast Food Workers; $24K median annual income
- Laundry Dry-Cleaning Workers; $25.5K median annual income
- Maids; $25.5K median annual income
- Childcare Workers; $25.7K median annual income
- Food Preparation Staff; $25.8K median annual income
- Cashiers; $26.1K median annual income
- Restaurant Waitstaff; $26.5K median annual income
- Cooks; $26.6K median annual income
- Zoo Animal Caretaker; $26.7K median annual income
- Residential Care Food Servers; $26.7K median annual income
- Personal Home Aides; $26.8K median annual income
- Gas Station Service Attendants; $26.9K median annual income
- Hotel and Resort Receptionists; $26.9K median annual income
- Sewing Machine Operators; $27.2K median annual income
- Package Processors; $27.6K median annual income
- Bartenders and Dining Room Workers; $28.8K median annual income
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