29
Jul 2015
Top 5 Lowest Paying Jobs
1. Food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
Alas, this job category has the not-so-great distinction of being the lowest-wage gig in the country, bringing in a measly $8.71 an hour, or $18,000 annually. Most of these jobs require minimal education and many are part time.
2. Dishwashers
The state with the most dishwashers is Florida, with 42,000. That state also pays among the lowest hourly wage for the job, $8.62, while Nevada pays the highest at $11.29 an hour.
3. Cashiers
The job is No. 2 on the BLS’s list of biggest occupations with a workforce of about 3.3 million, behind only retail sales people with 4.2 million. But unfortunately, the pay is crummy. Cashiers make $9.15 an hour, or $19,000 annually; about half of those who work cash registers are part timers.
4. Hosts and hostesses
You may never think to tip your host or hostess when you go out to eat. Well, maybe you should think again. These jobs bring in $9.23 an hour, compared to $9.80 an hour for waiters and waitresses.
5. Amusement park attendants
Florida and California, lands of amusement wonder, top the list of the most people employed in this profession, with 30,410 and 40,640 workers respectively. In California, workers in this category make $9.57 an hour; but in Florida, land of Disney World, the wage is $8.90 an hour. Alas, Mickey Mouse isn’t spreading the joy to workers’ pockets. Wages there for these jobs are below the national mean hourly wage of $9.35 an hour.