America's 25 Lowest Paying Jobs

Filed under: Employment Trends, Salaries Print Article

Posted Jan 26th 2009 4:29PM

By KATE LORENZ, CAREERBUILDER.COM EDITOR

Yes, the road to the top is often a long one and it takes hard work, but it is possible to achieve large amounts of success with a very simple start. Consider one of these jobs that could be your ticket to professional glory.

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You've heard the clichés: money doesn't buy happiness, you should do what you love, blah, blah, blah. But survey after survey shows that pay is the No. 1 motivating factor for work.

It's a fact of life that not all jobs are going to pay six figures and have a million benefits. Like teachers and firefighters, many jobs that are essential to our day-to-day lives don't pay a hefty salary.

We've identified the 25 lowest paying jobs in America, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The pros: Most of the jobs in this list offer on-the-job training, need no experience and have little to no educational requirements.

The cons: Did we mention the pay?

A lower-paying, entry-level job can help you to build up your resume, test-drive different industries and carve a path for success. Consider Janice L. Fields. Ms. Fields started her career with McDonald's in 1978 as a crewmember; today she's executive vice president and chief operations officer for McDonald's USA.

Yes, the road to the top is often a long one and it takes hard work, but it is possible to achieve large amounts of success with a very simple start. Consider one of these jobs that could be your ticket to professional glory.

25. Service Station Attendants

Average hourly earnings: $9.21
Average annual earnings: $19,150

24. Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

Average hourly earnings: $9.08
Average annual earnings: $18,890

23. Child Care Workers

Average hourly earnings: $9.05
Average annual earnings: $18,820

22. Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Average hourly earnings: $8.99
Average annual earnings: $18,700

21. Cooks, Short Order

Average hourly earnings: $8.99
Average annual earnings: $18,710

20. Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

Average hourly earnings: $8.95 Average annual earnings: $18,610

19. Bartenders

Average hourly earnings: $8.91
Average annual earnings: $18,540

18. Pressers, Textile, Garment and Related Materials

Average hourly earnings: $8.88
Average annual earnings: $18,470

17. Food Preparation Workers

Average hourly earnings: $8.88
Average annual earnings: $18,480

16. Parking Lot Attendants

Average hourly earnings: $8.87
Average annual earnings: $18,450

15. Lifeguards, Ski Patrol and other Recreational Protective Service Workers

Average hourly earnings: $8.85
Average annual earnings: $18,410

14. Personal and Home Care Aides

Average hourly earnings: $8.74
Average annual earnings: $18,180

13. Cashiers

Average hourly earnings: $8.62
Average annual earnings: $17,930

12. Farm Workers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse

Average hourly earnings: $8.48
Average annual earnings: $17,630

11. Amusement and Recreation Attendants

Average hourly earnings: $8.43
Average annual earnings: $17,530

Top 10 Lowest Paying Jobs in America >>

>>>Next: 10 Best Cities for Job Growth


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