Lowest-paying jobs in Colorado Springs
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 Colorado Springs. 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. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $33,880
- Median hourly wage: $16.29
- Total employment: 8,260 people (27.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $33,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $33,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.25
- Total employment: 90 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $33,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 90 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $33,380
- Median hourly wage: $16.05
- Total employment: 210 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Orderlies
- Median annual wage: $33,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $33,090
- Median hourly wage: $15.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $32,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.79
- Total employment: 300 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $32,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.68
- Total employment: 3,030 people (10.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $32,600
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 470 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $32,590
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Photographers
- Median annual wage: $32,500
- Median hourly wage: $15.63
- Total employment: 140 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $32,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.56
- Total employment: 1,010 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 310 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $31,950
- Median hourly wage: $15.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $31,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.31
- Total employment: 470 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $31,750
- Median hourly wage: $15.26
- Total employment: 5,030 people (16.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,650
- Median hourly wage: $15.21
- Total employment: 300 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $31,620
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 380 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,560
- Median hourly wage: $15.17
- Total employment: 150 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,460
- Median hourly wage: $15.12
- Total employment: 670 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Median annual wage: $31,430
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 100 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,350
- Median hourly wage: $15.07
- Total employment: 280 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 730 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $31,080
- Median hourly wage: $14.94
- Total employment: 380 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Cooks, fast food (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.80
- Total employment: 650 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,780
- Median hourly wage: $14.80
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $30,770
- Median hourly wage: $14.79
- Total employment: 1,950 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $30,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 8,980 people (29.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $30,690
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 510 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $30,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 300 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 620 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,000
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,790
- Median hourly wage: $14.32
- Total employment: 810 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $29,750
- Median hourly wage: $14.30
- Total employment: 800 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,640 people (8.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 430 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $29,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.15
- Total employment: 2,110 people (6.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $29,410
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: 10,750 people (35.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $29,360
- Median hourly wage: $14.12
- Total employment: 1,100 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 6,400 people (21.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $29,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 1,560 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $29,090
- Median hourly wage: $13.99
- Total employment: 4,760 people (15.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 910 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.87
- Total employment: 410 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Aircraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: Not available
#2. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $27,770
- Median hourly wage: $13.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $26,360
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: Not available
