Lowest-paying jobs in Charlotte
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 Charlotte, 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 Charlotte
#25. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
Average annual salary: $21,990
Average hourly wage: $10.57
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,630
#24. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
Average annual salary: $21,800
Average hourly wage: $10.48
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,390
#23. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
Average annual salary: $21,590
Average hourly wage: $10.38
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,170
#22. Transportation workers, all other
Average annual salary: $21,430
Average hourly wage: $10.30
Total employment in Charlotte: 330
#21. Non-farm animal caretakers
Average annual salary: $21,380
Average hourly wage: $10.28
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,240
#20. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
Average annual salary: $20,960
Average hourly wage: $10.08
Total employment in Charlotte: 3,820
#19. Baggage porters and bellhops
Average annual salary: $20,830
Average hourly wage: $10.02
Total employment in Charlotte: 250
#18. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
Average annual salary: $20,750
Average hourly wage: $9.98
Total employment in Charlotte: 5,700
#17. Waiters and waitresses
Average annual salary: $20,700
Average hourly wage: $9.95
Total employment in Charlotte: 22,010
#16. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
Average annual salary: $20,590
Average hourly wage: $9.90
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,600
#15. Amusement and recreation attendants
Average annual salary: $20,550
Average hourly wage: $9.88
Total employment in Charlotte: 3,980
#14. Home health aides
Average annual salary: $20,420
Average hourly wage: $9.82
Total employment in Charlotte: 6,400
#13. Motor vehicle operators, all other
Average annual salary: $20,190
Average hourly wage: $9.71
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,760
#12. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
Average annual salary: $20,180
Average hourly wage: $9.70
Total employment in Charlotte: 2,440
#11. Cashiers
Average annual salary: $19,980
Average hourly wage: $9.60
Total employment in Charlotte: 28,630
#10. Crossing guards
Average annual salary: $19,970
Average hourly wage: $9.60
Total employment in Charlotte: 220
#9. Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and coffee shop
Average annual salary: $19,910
Average hourly wage: $9.57
Total employment in Charlotte: 2,650
#8. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
Average annual salary: $19,620
Average hourly wage: $9.43
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,550
#7. Dishwashers
Average annual salary: $19,550
Average hourly wage: $9.40
Total employment in Charlotte: 3,430
#6. Food preparation and serving-related workers, all other
Average annual salary: $19,530
Average hourly wage: $9.39
Total employment in Charlotte: 120
#5. Food servers, non-restaurant
Average annual salary: $19,440
Average hourly wage: $9.35
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,620
#4. Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
Average annual salary: $18,820
Average hourly wage: $9.05
Total employment in Charlotte: 38,430
#3. Cooks, fast food
Average annual salary: $18,020
Average hourly wage: $8.66
Total employment in Charlotte: 1,970
#2. Shampooers
Average annual salary: $17,690
Average hourly wage: $8.51
Total employment in Charlotte: N/A
#1. Legislators
Average annual salary: $17,620
Average hourly wage: N/A
Total employment in Charlotte: 40
