Lowest-paying jobs in Cumberland
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 Cumberland. 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: $32,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.50
- Total employment: 860 people (23.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $31,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 430 people (11.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,810
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 30 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $31,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.23
- Total employment: 380 people (10.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $31,520
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 160 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 500 people (13.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $31,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 70 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $30,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 490 people (13.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 110 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,380
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 70 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $30,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 40 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 220 people (5.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $29,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 160 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 60 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $29,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 150 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 90 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 490 people (13.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 250 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 40 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 200 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $28,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 50 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 80 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 50 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,890
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 330 people (8.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $27,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 240 people (6.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 30 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.04
- Total employment: 240 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $26,880
- Median hourly wage: $12.92
- Total employment: 510 people (14.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $26,860
- Median hourly wage: $12.91
- Total employment: 130 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $26,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 1,100 people (30.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $26,590
- Median hourly wage: $12.79
- Total employment: 150 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $26,410
- Median hourly wage: $12.70
- Total employment: 90 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 690 people (18.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,330
- Median hourly wage: $12.66
- Total employment: 50 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 60 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Switchboard operators, including answering service (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 80 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Childcare workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Office and administrative support workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 110 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 1,100 people (30.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 100 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 1,050 people (28.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $25,880
- Median hourly wage: $12.44
- Total employment: 40 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)