Lowest-paying jobs in Grand Junction
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 Grand Junction. 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. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $35,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.86
- Total employment: 280 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 720 people (11.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $34,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.75
- Total employment: 190 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,810
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 90 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $34,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Helpers--production workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 120 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $33,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.26
- Total employment: 1,130 people (17.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $33,510
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 110 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,960
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $32,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 830 people (12.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,910
- Median hourly wage: $15.82
- Total employment: 490 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,600
- Median hourly wage: $15.67
- Total employment: 360 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $32,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.52
- Total employment: 140 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $32,140
- Median hourly wage: $15.45
- Total employment: 130 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $31,920
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 180 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 1,240 people (19.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $31,360
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 110 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,020
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Community health workers
- Median annual wage: $30,940
- Median hourly wage: $14.88
- Total employment: Not available
#27. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 100 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $30,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.77
- Total employment: 90 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $30,710
- Median hourly wage: $14.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $30,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 650 people (10.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $30,400
- Median hourly wage: $14.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $30,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 170 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $29,970
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 450 people (6.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,950
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 190 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $29,730
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 80 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 2,460 people (38.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 430 people (6.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,470
- Median hourly wage: $14.17
- Total employment: 150 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $29,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 360 people (5.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.99
- Total employment: 110 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $29,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.98
- Total employment: 140 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 200 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,790
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 1,530 people (23.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,740
- Median hourly wage: $13.82
- Total employment: 220 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $28,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 130 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,570
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 120 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,490
- Median hourly wage: $13.70
- Total employment: 2,280 people (35.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Amusement and recreation attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 120 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Waiters and waitresses (tie)
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 1,050 people (16.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,450
- Median hourly wage: $12.72
- Total employment: 230 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $26,120
- Median hourly wage: $12.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
