Lowest-paying jobs in Asheville

Written by:
March 21, 2021
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

Lowest-paying jobs in Asheville

Stacker collected information on the lowest-paying jobs in Asheville, NC, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2019.

In Asheville, the annual mean wage is $44,830 or 16.2% lower than national mean of $53,490, while the lowest-paying occupation makes only $19,630. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

1 / 100
Canva

#100. Medical Equipment Preparers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $34,010
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,530
- Employment: 56,900

2 / 100
Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

#99. Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,940
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650

3 / 100
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#98. Residential Advisors

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,930
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,610
- Employment: 107,930

4 / 100
Goldsithney // Shutterstock

#97. Psychiatric Technicians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,670
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,550
- Employment: 78,470

5 / 100
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock

#96. Rehabilitation Counselors

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,520
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $40,160
- Employment: 109,040

6 / 100
Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

#95. Pharmacy Technicians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,420
- Employment: 690

National
- Annual mean salary: $35,250
- Employment: 417,780

7 / 100
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#94. Tellers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,390
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,660
- Employment: 442,120

8 / 100
Pixabay

#93. Parts Salespersons

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,290
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $35,220
- Employment: 256,170

9 / 100
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#92. Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,170
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,950
- Employment: 23,590

10 / 100
Milkovasa // Shutterstock

#91. Medical Assistants

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $33,070
- Employment: 1,170

National
- Annual mean salary: $35,720
- Employment: 712,430

11 / 100
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

#90. Phlebotomists

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,810
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,480
- Employment: 128,290

12 / 100
Walter Siegmund // Wikimedia Commons

#89. Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,800
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,750
- Employment: 58,400

13 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#88. Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,760
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,390
- Employment: 188,570

14 / 100
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock

#87. Office Clerks, General

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,680
- Employment: 3,770

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,360
- Employment: 2,956,060

15 / 100
Pixabay

#86. Roofers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,510
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,820
- Employment: 129,690

16 / 100
Canva

#85. Motorcycle Mechanics

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,330
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,970
- Employment: 15,590

17 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#84. Driver/Sales Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,320
- Employment: 680

National
- Annual mean salary: $30,230
- Employment: 444,660

18 / 100
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#83. Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,250
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,540
- Employment: 87,120

19 / 100
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#82. Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,170
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,390
- Employment: 123,660

20 / 100
Canva

#80 (tie). Painters, Construction and Maintenance

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,120
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,640
- Employment: 232,760

21 / 100
Canva

#80 (tie). Helpers--Carpenters

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,120
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,830
- Employment: 32,920

22 / 100
Mirnes // Shutterstock

#79. Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,100
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,240
- Employment: 71,850

23 / 100
Canva

#78. Pipelayers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,070
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $43,600
- Employment: 36,270

24 / 100
Undrey // Shutterstock

#77. Data Entry Keyers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,000
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,820
- Employment: 159,930

25 / 100
Canva

#76. Pest Control Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,970
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,910
- Employment: 79,450

26 / 100
Arsenii Palivoda // Shutterstock

#75. Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,780
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,800
- Employment: 29,150

27 / 100
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

#74. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,760
- Employment: 1,000

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,030
- Employment: 704,910

28 / 100
zhu difeng // Shutterstock

#73. Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,690
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,940
- Employment: 140,850

29 / 100
Canva

#72. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,670
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $38,760
- Employment: 58,600

30 / 100
Brian S. Hagberg // Wikimedia Commons

#71. Self-Enrichment Teachers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,510
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,120
- Employment: 252,780

31 / 100
Daniel Tausis // Unsplash

#70. Firefighters

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,470
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,650
- Employment: 324,620

32 / 100
CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#69. Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,460
- Employment: 570

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350

33 / 100
Canva

#68. Helpers--Production Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,450
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $30,540
- Employment: 303,030

34 / 100
Pixabay

#67. Helpers--Electricians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $31,090
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,300
- Employment: 79,260

35 / 100
Canva

#66. Butchers and Meat Cutters

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,950
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,010
- Employment: 136,770

36 / 100
Pixabay

#65. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,820
- Employment: 3,080

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,130
- Employment: 2,953,170

37 / 100
Canva

#64. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,810
- Employment: 1,370

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,360
- Employment: 912,660

38 / 100
Canva

#63. Glaziers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,650
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,810
- Employment: 52,400

39 / 100
LuckView // Shutterstock

#62. Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,590
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,310
- Employment: 195,040

40 / 100
Crew // Wikimedia Commons

#61. Bartenders

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,580
- Employment: 960

National
- Annual mean salary: $28,000
- Employment: 646,850

41 / 100
Pixabay

#60. Construction Laborers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,540
- Employment: 910

National
- Annual mean salary: $41,730
- Employment: 1,020,350

42 / 100
Unsplash

#59. Library Technicians

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,440
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,950
- Employment: 88,720

43 / 100
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

#58. Sewing Machine Operators

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,150
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $28,000
- Employment: 133,410

44 / 100
Canva

#57. Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,110
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,690
- Employment: 97,030

45 / 100
Pixabay

#56. Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $30,000
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $40,240
- Employment: 35,110

46 / 100
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#55. Recreation Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,990
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,330
- Employment: 358,750

47 / 100
Canva

#54. Upholsterers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,850
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,640
- Employment: 29,420

48 / 100
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

#53. Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,830
- Employment: 480

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,530
- Employment: 385,960

49 / 100
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock

#52. Office Machine Operators, Except Computer

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,740
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $35,150
- Employment: 45,960

50 / 100
Giulio_Fornasar // Shutterstock

#51. Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,720
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,620
- Employment: 83,580

51 / 100
DuxX // Shutterstock

#50. Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,530
- Employment: 660

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,590
- Employment: 390,540

52 / 100
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#49. Nursing Assistants

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,460
- Employment: 3,090

National
- Annual mean salary: $30,720
- Employment: 1,419,920

53 / 100
The Boston Globe // Getty Images

#48. Stockers and Order Fillers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,390
- Employment: 3,320

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,660
- Employment: 2,135,850

54 / 100
ESB Basic // Shutterstock

#47. Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,350
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,030
- Employment: 68,050

55 / 100
Paul Sableman // Flickr

#46. Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,320
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,830
- Employment: 179,510

56 / 100
Canva

#45. Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,110
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,010
- Employment: 63,280

57 / 100
Skeeze // pixabay

#44. Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $29,060
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,150
- Employment: 50,730

58 / 100
ProfDEH // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Couriers and Messengers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,680
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,640
- Employment: 74,720

59 / 100
New Africa // Shutterstock

#42. Receptionists and Information Clerks

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,580
- Employment: 2,670

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,250
- Employment: 1,057,370

60 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#41. Retail Salespersons

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,470
- Employment: 7,490

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,360
- Employment: 4,317,950

61 / 100
Canva

#40. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,440
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $41,400
- Employment: 121,330

62 / 100
Pixabay

#39. Photographers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,370
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,440
- Employment: 50,620

63 / 100
Canva

#38. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,330
- Employment: 600

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,030
- Employment: 402,480

64 / 100
Canva

#37. Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,290
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,570
- Employment: 99,460

65 / 100
Unsplash

#36. Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,130
- Employment: 2,960

National
- Annual mean salary: $30,010
- Employment: 2,145,450

66 / 100
JOHANNES EISELE // Getty Images

#35. Passenger Vehicle Drivers, Except Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $28,110
- Employment: 1,040

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,210
- Employment: 700,030

67 / 100
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

#34. Massage Therapists

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $27,740
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,180
- Employment: 107,240

68 / 100
Canva

#33. Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $27,470
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,060
- Employment: 29,170

69 / 100
Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos // Flickr

#32. Counter and Rental Clerks

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $27,410
- Employment: 490

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,600
- Employment: 411,560

70 / 100
Jorge Royan // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Cooks, Restaurant

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $26,900
- Employment: 3,290

National
- Annual mean salary: $28,700
- Employment: 1,401,890

71 / 100
Jason Person // Shutterstock

#30. Cooks, Short Order

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $26,800
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $26,240
- Employment: 152,670

72 / 100
Canva

#29. Physical Therapist Aides

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $26,740
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,180
- Employment: 49,270

73 / 100
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#28. Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $26,610
- Employment: 920

National
- Annual mean salary: $25,950
- Employment: 267,940

74 / 100
Canva

#27. Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $26,250
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $27,780
- Employment: 295,520

75 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#26. Waiters and Waitresses

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,940
- Employment: 5,100

National
- Annual mean salary: $26,800
- Employment: 2,579,020

76 / 100
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#25. Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,920
- Employment: 520

National
- Annual mean salary: $27,940
- Employment: 382,670

77 / 100
PxHere

#24. Library Assistants, Clerical

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,890
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,820
- Employment: 85,910

78 / 100
Canva

#23. Bakers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,800
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,630
- Employment: 184,990

79 / 100
Education Images // Getty Images

#22. Substitute Teachers, Short-Term

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,750
- Employment: 670

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,460
- Employment: 587,120

80 / 100
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#21. Childcare Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,630
- Employment: 1,120

National
- Annual mean salary: $25,510
- Employment: 561,520

81 / 100
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#20. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $25,340
- Employment: 1,240

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,640
- Employment: 1,346,910

82 / 100
Canva

#19. Food Preparation Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $24,540
- Employment: 1,460

National
- Annual mean salary: $25,820
- Employment: 863,740

83 / 100
viviandnguyen_ // Flickr

#18. Packers and Packagers, Hand

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $24,310
- Employment: 840

National
- Annual mean salary: $27,680
- Employment: 633,640

84 / 100
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#17. Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $24,070
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $25,420
- Employment: 209,330

85 / 100
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#16. Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $23,950
- Employment: 2,270

National
- Annual mean salary: $26,810
- Employment: 926,960

86 / 100
Don LaVange // Flickr

#15. Funeral Attendants

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $23,590
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,830
- Employment: 34,370

87 / 100
Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#14. Animal Caretakers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $23,500
- Employment: 440

National
- Annual mean salary: $27,060
- Employment: 212,450

88 / 100
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#13. Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $23,480
- Employment: 590

National
- Annual mean salary: $26,080
- Employment: 277,580

89 / 100
Canva

#12. Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $23,040
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $26,860
- Employment: 117,670

90 / 100
Pxhere

#11. Fast Food and Counter Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $22,880
- Employment: 7,110

National
- Annual mean salary: $23,250
- Employment: 3,996,820

91 / 100
Martin Smith // Shutterstock

#10. Parking Attendants

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $22,860
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $26,450
- Employment: 147,390

92 / 100
Ryan Everton // Unsplash

#9. Dishwashers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $22,770
- Employment: 870

National
- Annual mean salary: $24,410
- Employment: 514,330

93 / 100
aboutsung // Shutterstock

#8. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $22,210
- Employment: 520

National
- Annual mean salary: $25,020
- Employment: 477,270

94 / 100
Daniel Lee // Flickr

#7. Cooks, Fast Food

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $22,140
- Employment: 1,270

National
- Annual mean salary: $23,530
- Employment: 527,220

95 / 100
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#6. Cashiers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $21,960
- Employment: 6,180

National
- Annual mean salary: $24,400
- Employment: 3,617,910

96 / 100
Unsplash

#5. Amusement and Recreation Attendants

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $21,920
- Employment: 930

National
- Annual mean salary: $24,330
- Employment: 338,110

97 / 100
Pixabay

#4. Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $21,700
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $25,380
- Employment: 143,940

98 / 100
Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#3. Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $21,050
- Employment: 1,340

National
- Annual mean salary: $24,010
- Employment: 423,380

99 / 100
Rohatynchuk Mykola // Shutterstock

#2. Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $20,310
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,030
- Employment: 12,350

100 / 100
Pexels

#1. Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers

Asheville, NC
- Annual mean salary: $19,630
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $24,870
- Employment: 138,160

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