Lowest-paying jobs in Houston
If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I get paid nothing,” then cozy up to your screen with a 15-cent pack of ramen noodles—you won’t want to miss this list.
Unemployment is at its lowest rate since 2000. But having a job, and having a job that pays a living wage, are not necessarily the same thing. So while 250,000 non-farm jobs were added to the U.S. economy in October, it’s a different dataset entirely to explore which of those jobs actually pay a living wage. How do things shake out in your hometown? To determine which jobs in the U.S. pay the lowest in Houston, Stacker analyzed information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The data was collected in May 2017 and ranked by average annual salary, with ties being broken by average hourly wage. Aside from the cool fact that the occupation of hand-sewer still exists, the data provides interesting insights as to who truly should get to complain about their wages. Did your job make the list?
RELATED: Highest-paying jobs in Houston
#25. Sewing machine operators
Average annual salary: $22,870
Average hourly wage: $11.00
Total employment in Houston: 1,450
#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
Average annual salary: $22,860
Average hourly wage: $10.99
Total employment in Houston: 3,740
#23. Childcare workers
Average annual salary: $22,770
Average hourly wage: $10.95
Total employment in Houston: 9,720
#22. Food servers, non-restaurant
Average annual salary: $22,540
Average hourly wage: $10.84
Total employment in Houston: 2,840
#21. Parking lot attendants
Average annual salary: $22,360
Average hourly wage: $10.75
Total employment in Houston: 3,290
#20. Home health aides
Average annual salary: $22,130
Average hourly wage: $10.64
Total employment in Houston: 14,200
#19. Manicurists and pedicurists
Average annual salary: $21,960
Average hourly wage: $10.56
Total employment in Houston: N/A
#18. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
Average annual salary: $21,940
Average hourly wage: $10.55
Total employment in Houston: 10,380
#17. Non-farm animal caretakers
Average annual salary: $21,910
Average hourly wage: $10.54
Total employment in Houston: 4,100
#16. Baggage porters and bellhops
Average annual salary: $21,660
Average hourly wage: $10.41
Total employment in Houston: 440
#15. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
Average annual salary: $21,600
Average hourly wage: $10.38
Total employment in Houston: 4,230
#14. Dishwashers
Average annual salary: $21,490
Average hourly wage: $10.33
Total employment in Houston: 9,010
#13. Cooks, fast food
Average annual salary: $21,440
Average hourly wage: $10.31
Total employment in Houston: 8,210
#12. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
Average annual salary: $21,120
Average hourly wage: $10.15
Total employment in Houston: 9,830
#11. Cashiers
Average annual salary: $21,010
Average hourly wage: $10.10
Total employment in Houston: 61,330
#10. Personal care and service workers, all other
Average annual salary: $20,760
Average hourly wage: $9.98
Total employment in Houston: N/A
#9. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
Average annual salary: $20,730
Average hourly wage: $9.96
Total employment in Houston: 19,010
#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
Average annual salary: $20,430
Average hourly wage: $9.82
Total employment in Houston: 4,060
#7. Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
Average annual salary: $20,260
Average hourly wage: $9.74
Total employment in Houston: 78,040
#6. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
Average annual salary: $20,190
Average hourly wage: $9.71
Total employment in Houston: 1,000
#5. Shampooers
Average annual salary: $20,130
Average hourly wage: $9.68
Total employment in Houston: 170
#4. Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop
Average annual salary: $20,080
Average hourly wage: $9.66
Total employment in Houston: 15,440
#3. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
Average annual salary: $20,010
Average hourly wage: $9.62
Total employment in Houston: 1,320
#2. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
Average annual salary: $19,940
Average hourly wage: $9.59
Total employment in Houston: 3,330
#1. Personal care aides
Average annual salary: $19,710
Average hourly wage: $9.48
Total employment in Houston: 35,910
