Lowest-paying jobs in Carbondale
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 Carbondale. 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. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $35,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 250 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $35,010
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 390 people (7.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Dental assistants
- Median annual wage: $34,720
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 90 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. New accounts clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,450
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $34,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.43
- Total employment: 90 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 150 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $33,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.89
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $32,340
- Median hourly wage: $15.55
- Total employment: 680 people (13.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $32,250
- Median hourly wage: $15.51
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $32,010
- Median hourly wage: $15.39
- Total employment: 390 people (7.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $31,660
- Median hourly wage: $15.22
- Total employment: 660 people (12.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,410
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 50 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $31,090
- Median hourly wage: $14.95
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.93
- Total employment: 600 people (11.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $31,050
- Median hourly wage: $14.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,800
- Median hourly wage: $14.81
- Total employment: 470 people (9.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $30,390
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 200 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,360
- Median hourly wage: $14.60
- Total employment: 90 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $30,320
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 880 people (16.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.53
- Total employment: 130 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,940
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 120 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $29,720
- Median hourly wage: $14.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $29,560
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 210 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,320
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 100 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.08
- Total employment: 1,280 people (24.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 1,050 people (20.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,530
- Median hourly wage: $13.72
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $28,400
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $28,180
- Median hourly wage: $13.55
- Total employment: 1,350 people (25.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,810
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 330 people (6.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,750
- Median hourly wage: $13.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $27,500
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 670 people (12.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $26,900
- Median hourly wage: $12.93
- Total employment: 140 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $26,880
- Median hourly wage: $12.92
- Total employment: 1,430 people (27.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 200 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $26,290
- Median hourly wage: $12.64
- Total employment: 1,220 people (23.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $26,260
- Median hourly wage: $12.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $26,200
- Median hourly wage: $12.60
- Total employment: 590 people (11.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $25,740
- Median hourly wage: $12.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $25,700
- Median hourly wage: $12.35
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $25,400
- Median hourly wage: $12.21
- Total employment: 190 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $25,120
- Median hourly wage: $12.08
- Total employment: 380 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Bartenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 320 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Substitute teachers, short-term (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 110 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Driver/sales workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 200 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $24,960
- Median hourly wage: $12.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
