Lowest-paying jobs in Columbia

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

Lowest-paying jobs in Columbia

Stacker collected information on the lowest-paying jobs in Columbia, SC, 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 Columbia, the annual mean wage is $45,860 or 14.3% lower than national mean of $53,490, while the lowest-paying occupation makes only $18,650. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

1 / 100
Pixabay

#100. Construction Laborers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $33,180
- Employment: 2,870

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

2 / 100
Canva

#99. Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $33,130
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,880
- Employment: 20,830

3 / 100
Pixabay

#98. Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $33,090
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $47,740
- Employment: 44,240

4 / 100
Rido // Shutterstock

#97. Opticians, Dispensing

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,980
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $40,730
- Employment: 72,330

5 / 100
Efired // Shutterstock

#96. Bill and Account Collectors

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,960
- Employment: 1,410

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,300
- Employment: 235,870

6 / 100
Canva

#95. Helpers--Carpenters

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,910
- Employment: 120

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

7 / 100
Canva

#94. Upholsterers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,890
- Employment: data not available

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

8 / 100
Finist4 // Shutterstock

#93. Manicurists and Pedicurists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,810
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $27,390
- Employment: 111,780

9 / 100
Canva

#92. Pest Control Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,570
- Employment: 440

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

10 / 100
Dmitri Ma // Shutterstock

#91. Music Directors and Composers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,360
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,670
- Employment: 10,580

11 / 100
Unsplash

#90. Tax Preparers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,230
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,550
- Employment: 66,670

12 / 100
Canva

#89. Helpers--Production Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,050
- Employment: 450

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

13 / 100
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

#88. Telemarketers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,930
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,770
- Employment: 134,800

14 / 100
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#87. Tellers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,690
- Employment: 980

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

15 / 100
Giulio_Fornasar // Shutterstock

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,500
- Employment: 190

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

16 / 100
Paul Sableman // Flickr

#85. Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,480
- Employment: data not available

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

17 / 100
fizkes // Shutterstock

#84. Public Safety Telecommunicators

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,470
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,310
- Employment: 95,320

18 / 100
Canva

#83. Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,320
- Employment: 520

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

19 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#82. Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,290
- Employment: 670

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

20 / 100
DuxX // Shutterstock

#81. Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,280
- Employment: 490

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

21 / 100
Canva

#80. Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,260
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,230
- Employment: 25,780

22 / 100
Unsplash

#79. Floral Designers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,140
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,760
- Employment: 41,770

23 / 100
Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#78. Social and Human Service Assistants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,050
- Employment: 1,090

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,050
- Employment: 404,450

24 / 100
Chris Hondos // Getty Images

#77. Animal Control Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,020
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,710
- Employment: 11,980

25 / 100
Canva

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,010
- Employment: 260

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

26 / 100
Unsplash

#75. Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,850
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,300
- Employment: 21,130

27 / 100
Pixabay

#74. Photographers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,680
- Employment: 150

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

28 / 100
Needpix

#73. Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,610
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $39,270
- Employment: 33,360

29 / 100
Milkovasa // Shutterstock

#72. Medical Assistants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,570
- Employment: 2,060

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

30 / 100
Canva

#71. Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,420
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,230
- Employment: 16,410

31 / 100
Dolly442 // Wikimedia Commons

#70. Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,140
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,180
- Employment: 78,850

32 / 100
ESB Basic // Shutterstock

#69. Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,050
- Employment: 250

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

33 / 100
Skeeze // pixabay

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $29,660
- Employment: 160

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

34 / 100
Undrey // Shutterstock

#67. Data Entry Keyers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $29,380
- Employment: 390

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

35 / 100
Pixabay

#66. Helpers--Electricians

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $29,060
- Employment: 420

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

36 / 100
Canva

#65. Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $29,040
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,880
- Employment: 36,630

37 / 100
Stokkete // Shutterstock

#64. File Clerks

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $28,950
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,610
- Employment: 102,300

38 / 100
New Africa // Shutterstock

#63. Receptionists and Information Clerks

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $28,780
- Employment: 1,710

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

39 / 100
Pixabay

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $28,540
- Employment: 11,240

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

40 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#61. Driver/Sales Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $28,430
- Employment: 580

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

41 / 100
Martha McQuade // Flickr

#60. Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $28,230
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $30,810
- Employment: 8,690

42 / 100
Canva

#59. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,670
- Employment: 1,930

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

43 / 100
Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#58. Medical Transcriptionists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,640
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $35,210
- Employment: 55,780

44 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#57. Retail Salespersons

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,610
- Employment: 11,500

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

45 / 100
Canva

#56. Dietetic Technicians

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,440
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230

46 / 100
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock

#55. Office Clerks, General

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,430
- Employment: 5,950

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

47 / 100
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#54. Residential Advisors

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,280
- Employment: 220

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

48 / 100
CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#53. Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,060
- Employment: 1,080

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

49 / 100
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#52. Nursing Assistants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,880
- Employment: 3,740

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

50 / 100
ProfDEH // Wikimedia Commons

#51. Couriers and Messengers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,870
- Employment: 520

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

51 / 100
Canva

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,700
- Employment: 200

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

52 / 100
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

#49. Concierges

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,550
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,290
- Employment: 41,670

53 / 100
Jason Person // Shutterstock

#48. Cooks, Short Order

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,540
- Employment: 90

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

54 / 100
Don LaVange // Flickr

#47. Funeral Attendants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,450
- Employment: 120

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

55 / 100
Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos // Flickr

#46. Counter and Rental Clerks

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,290
- Employment: 890

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

56 / 100
Needpix

#45. Food Batchmakers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,270
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $33,120
- Employment: 159,390

57 / 100
PxHere

#44. Library Assistants, Clerical

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,030
- Employment: 150

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

58 / 100
The Boston Globe // Getty Images

#43. Stockers and Order Fillers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $25,900
- Employment: 4,060

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

59 / 100
Canva

#42. Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $25,880
- Employment: 400

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

60 / 100
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#41. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $25,730
- Employment: 2,400

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

61 / 100
JOHANNES EISELE // Getty Images

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $25,370
- Employment: 2,130

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

62 / 100
U.S. Department of Agriculture // Flickr

#39. Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $25,090
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,660
- Employment: 13,210

63 / 100
Martin Smith // Shutterstock

#38. Parking Attendants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,990
- Employment: 540

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

64 / 100
viviandnguyen_ // Flickr

#37. Packers and Packagers, Hand

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,850
- Employment: 1,320

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

65 / 100
Canva

#36. Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,740
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $29,600
- Employment: 14,740

66 / 100
Canva

#35. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,720
- Employment: 1,380

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

67 / 100
Unsplash

#33 (tie). Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,690
- Employment: 5,330

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

68 / 100
Walter Siegmund // Wikimedia Commons

#33 (tie). Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,690
- Employment: 250

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

69 / 100
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

#32. Sewing Machine Operators

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,590
- Employment: 220

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

70 / 100
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#31. Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,580
- Employment: 260

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

71 / 100
Canva

#30. Pharmacy Aides

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,570
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $30,490
- Employment: 37,280

72 / 100
Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#29. Animal Caretakers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,530
- Employment: 740

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

73 / 100
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#28. Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,340
- Employment: 780

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

74 / 100
Canva

#27. Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,330
- Employment: 170

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

75 / 100
Canva

#26. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,320
- Employment: 400

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

76 / 100
Canva

#25. Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,310
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $24,820
- Employment: 38,070

77 / 100
Jorge Royan // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Cooks, Restaurant

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $24,280
- Employment: 3,320

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

78 / 100
Pixabay

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $23,980
- Employment: 190

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

79 / 100
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#22. Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $23,550
- Employment: 640

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

80 / 100
Canva

#21. Bakers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $23,440
- Employment: 310

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

81 / 100
Canva

#20. Food Preparation Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $23,200
- Employment: 1,260

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

82 / 100
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#19. Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $22,710
- Employment: 790

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

83 / 100
Education Images // Getty Images

#18. Substitute Teachers, Short-Term

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $22,660
- Employment: 1,580

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

84 / 100
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#17. Recreation Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $22,580
- Employment: 1,340

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

85 / 100
Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post // Getty Images

#16. Forest and Conservation Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $22,420
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,790
- Employment: 6,760

86 / 100
Crew // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Bartenders

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $21,930
- Employment: 880

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

87 / 100
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#14. Childcare Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $21,730
- Employment: 520

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

88 / 100
Paf - Games Sports Casion // Flickr

#13. Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $21,670
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $27,830
- Employment: 9,970

89 / 100
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#12. Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $21,500
- Employment: 1,790

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

90 / 100
aboutsung // Shutterstock

#11. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $21,350
- Employment: 670

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

91 / 100
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#10. Cashiers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $21,220
- Employment: 11,660

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

92 / 100
Ryan Everton // Unsplash

#9. Dishwashers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $20,760
- Employment: 820

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

93 / 100
Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#8. Baggage Porters and Bellhops

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $20,560
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $28,230
- Employment: 39,790

94 / 100
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#7. Waiters and Waitresses

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $20,520
- Employment: 4,870

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

95 / 100
Daniel Lee // Flickr

#6. Cooks, Fast Food

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $19,830
- Employment: 2,240

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

96 / 100
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock

#5. Legislators

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $19,810
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,440
- Employment: 52,280

97 / 100
Unsplash

#4. Amusement and Recreation Attendants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $19,800
- Employment: 770

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

98 / 100
Dragon Images // Shutterstock

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $19,330
- Employment: 840

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

99 / 100
Pexels

#2. Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $19,280
- Employment: 780

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

100 / 100
Pxhere

#1. Fast Food and Counter Workers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $18,650
- Employment: 13,920

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

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