Lowest-paying jobs in Pine Bluff
The U.S. may be one of the , but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide , 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: , 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 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.
used data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Pine Bluff. 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. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 80 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Billing and posting clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 70 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $33,730
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 770 people (26.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $33,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 220 people (7.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $32,890
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Total employment: 50 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.81
- Total employment: 80 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $32,490
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 90 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $32,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.55
- Total employment: 120 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $31,660
- Median hourly wage: $15.22
- Total employment: 650 people (22.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $31,650
- Median hourly wage: $15.22
- Total employment: 30 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 80 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Median annual wage: $31,290
- Median hourly wage: $15.04
- Total employment: 300 people (10.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $30,710
- Median hourly wage: $14.77
- Total employment: 30 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $30,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 60 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,570
- Median hourly wage: $14.70
- Total employment: 260 people (8.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $30,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.65
- Total employment: 110 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $30,380
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 170 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.49
- Total employment: 90 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 80 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 70 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $29,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.19
- Total employment: 40 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $29,250
- Median hourly wage: $14.06
- Total employment: 110 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $29,240
- Median hourly wage: $14.06
- Total employment: 70 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $28,790
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 260 people (9.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 70 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $28,150
- Median hourly wage: $13.53
- Total employment: 440 people (15.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $28,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: Not available
#23. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $27,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 320 people (11.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.36
- Total employment: 70 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $27,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 40 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $27,440
- Median hourly wage: $13.19
- Total employment: 80 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $27,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.16
- Total employment: 200 people (6.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,160
- Median hourly wage: $13.06
- Total employment: 30 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $26,900
- Median hourly wage: $12.93
- Total employment: 70 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $26,550
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 80 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,510
- Median hourly wage: $12.75
- Total employment: 180 people (6.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 480 people (16.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $26,330
- Median hourly wage: $12.66
- Total employment: 710 people (24.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $26,180
- Median hourly wage: $12.59
- Total employment: 110 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $26,110
- Median hourly wage: $12.55
- Total employment: 600 people (20.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $25,920
- Median hourly wage: $12.46
- Total employment: 410 people (14.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $25,140
- Median hourly wage: $12.09
- Total employment: 490 people (16.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $25,120
- Median hourly wage: $12.08
- Total employment: 40 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $24,970
- Median hourly wage: $12.01
- Total employment: 70 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $24,660
- Median hourly wage: $11.85
- Total employment: 40 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $24,460
- Median hourly wage: $11.76
- Total employment: 140 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $24,130
- Median hourly wage: $11.60
- Total employment: 870 people (29.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $23,960
- Median hourly wage: $11.52
- Total employment: 770 people (26.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $23,680
- Median hourly wage: $11.39
- Total employment: 220 people (7.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $23,590
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (8.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
