Lowest-paying jobs in Bowling Green

Published 12:39 pm Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

Lowest-paying jobs in Bowling Green

The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world but there’s a growing trend of financial inequality, with middle-class households feeling the most impact. In fact, the number of adults who live in middle-class households dropped from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to an April 2022 analysis from Pew Research Center. On the other hand, the upper-income level rose from 14% to 21%. The declining middle class in the U.S. can be attributed to various factors including a decrease in unions and manufacturing jobs and an increased need for college-educated, tech-savvy employees.

The COVID-19 pandemic also played a major role in exposing the harsh financial gap as those who fell under the middle- and upper-income brackets were able to keep their jobs and/or work remotely. At the start of the pandemic in the U.S., workers who fell under the lower-income tier found themselves unemployed or having to be out of work, even if temporarily, as their place of employment was closed.

Those who worked in the leisure and hospitality industries were hit the hardest financially. In December 2020, employment in the hospitality industry was down by 23% compared to pre-pandemic levels in February 2020, an unemployment rate that surpassed other industries. Service employees such as housekeepers, food preparation workers, kitchen cooks, automobile glass installers, and animal caretakers were some of the lowest-paying jobs in the nation.

Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-paying jobs in Bowling Green, KY, 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 2021.

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

#50. Highway maintenance workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,540
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,340
– Employment: 141,150
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,690)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($67,340)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,550)

New Africa // Shutterstock

#49. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,300
– #369 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,100
– Employment: 153,640
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)

Skeeze // pixabay

#48. Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,260
– #127 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,280
– Employment: 45,350
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($48,810)
— Lewiston, ID-WA ($46,520)
— Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($45,140)

Milkovasa // Shutterstock

#47. Medical assistants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,180
– #351 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 690

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,190
– Employment: 727,760
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($58,670)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,930)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,870)

Canva

#46. Helpers–installation, maintenance, and repair workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,150
– #218 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,090
– Employment: 88,480
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Pittsfield, MA ($58,590)
— Reno, NV ($50,700)
— Springfield, MA-CT ($50,600)

You may also like: Closest national parks to Bowling Green

Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos // Flickr

#45. Counter and rental clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,730
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $36,170
– Employment: 371,620
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($48,760)
— Fairbanks, AK ($47,080)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,760)

Canva

#44. Helpers–production workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,720
– #242 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,910
– Employment: 202,860
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($48,190)
— Pittsfield, MA ($43,910)
— Reno, NV ($41,940)

Canva

#43. Ophthalmic medical technicians

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,600
– #218 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $41,120
– Employment: 65,700
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Springfield, IL ($68,780)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($63,650)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($62,050)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#42. Tellers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,430
– #340 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

National
– Annual mean salary: $34,930
– Employment: 364,210
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,040)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,490)
— Napa, CA ($42,000)

Dolly442 // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $29,980
– #169 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,560
– Employment: 67,210
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,050)
— Rochester, MN ($47,190)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($47,060)

You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Bowling Green

Canva

#40. Butchers and meat cutters

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $29,590
– #324 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,670
– Employment: 145,930
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($50,570)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($50,510)
— Barnstable Town, MA ($48,490)

Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

#39. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,900
– #304 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,250
– Employment: 118,670
– Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,990)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,220)
— Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($51,340)

Canva

#38. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,850
– #357 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,240
– Employment: 892,450
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,650)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,240)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($44,830)

Unsplash

#37. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,760
– #234 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 720

National
– Annual mean salary: $31,860
– Employment: 2,036,680
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,030)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($41,240)
— Barnstable Town, MA ($41,150)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#35 (tie). Nursing assistants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,430
– #303 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 690

National
– Annual mean salary: $33,250
– Employment: 1,314,830
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,690)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,500)
— Salinas, CA ($44,210)

You may also like: Where people in Bowling Green are moving to most

The Boston Globe // Getty Images

#35 (tie). Stockers and order fillers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,430
– #332 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,550

National
– Annual mean salary: $33,020
– Employment: 2,451,430
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($42,240)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,960)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($40,620)

Unsplash

#34. Library technicians

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,220
– #254 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $39,070
– Employment: 73,000
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950)
— Napa, CA ($57,890)

viviandnguyen_ // Flickr

#33. Packers and packagers, hand

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,180
– #225 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

National
– Annual mean salary: $30,950
– Employment: 585,270
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,960)
— Rome, GA ($38,830)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,460)

New Africa // Shutterstock

#32. Receptionists and information clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,040
– #329 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,910
– Employment: 983,150
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,680)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($41,290)

Canva

#31. Tire repairers and changers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $27,990
– #294 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,520
– Employment: 93,180
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($44,520)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,520)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,370)

You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Bowling Green

ProfDEH // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Couriers and messengers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $27,800
– #192 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $34,270
– Employment: 68,310
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($43,430)
— Modesto, CA ($42,550)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($42,220)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#29. Driver/sales workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $27,680
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 520

National
– Annual mean salary: $31,970
– Employment: 477,020
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bismarck, ND ($48,560)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($46,390)
— Fargo, ND-MN ($46,360)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#28. Retail salespersons

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $27,040
– #349 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,560

National
– Annual mean salary: $31,920
– Employment: 3,693,490
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($41,150)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,150)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($38,790)

Jorge Royan // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Cooks, restaurant

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,700
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 630

National
– Annual mean salary: $31,630
– Employment: 1,193,860
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($43,900)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,380)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($41,690)

Sean Rayford // Getty Images

#26. Security guards

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,680
– #367 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,830
– Employment: 1,057,100
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Idaho Falls, ID ($70,350)
— San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($58,440)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($55,500)

You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Bowling Green metro area

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#25. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,520
– #259 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 500

National
– Annual mean salary: $31,760
– Employment: 1,187,270
– Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($46,390)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,820)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#24. Tutors

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,470
– #245 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30

National
– Annual mean salary: $41,780
– Employment: 147,100
– Entry level education requirements: nan
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Pittsfield, MA ($82,910)
— Santa Fe, NM ($68,440)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,110)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#23. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,420
– #285 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,570
– Employment: 175,660
– Entry level education requirements: not available
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,740)
— Napa, CA ($42,730)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($42,000)

Canva

#22. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,340
– #323 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 600

National
– Annual mean salary: $31,520
– Employment: 392,860
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,130)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,400)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($47,000)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#21. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,200
– #296 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $30,550
– Employment: 351,960
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($40,840)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,780)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#20. Animal caretakers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,950
– #253 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $29,520
– Employment: 225,680
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($40,460)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,720)
— Salinas, CA ($37,420)

Canva

#19. Bakers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,350
– #319 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,300
– Employment: 181,800
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($41,850)
— Chattanooga, TN-GA ($41,660)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,160)

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#18. Residential advisors

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,160
– #263 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $34,950
– Employment: 92,500
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Trenton, NJ ($50,560)
— Napa, CA ($48,390)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($46,210)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#17. Recreation workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,060
– #360 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,020
– Employment: 264,020
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fairbanks, AK ($50,710)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,730)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($44,200)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

#16. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $24,250
– #347 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,990
– Employment: 285,980
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($53,630)
— Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($53,470)
— Barnstable Town, MA ($52,630)

You may also like: How Bowling Green feels about climate change

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#15. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $24,010
– #309 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

National
– Annual mean salary: $29,580
– Employment: 723,430
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,430)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($44,940)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,580)

Canva

#14. Food preparation workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,890
– #331 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

National
– Annual mean salary: $28,810
– Employment: 783,350
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,950)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,230)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($38,340)

Ryan Everton // Unsplash

#13. Dishwashers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,770
– #230 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

National
– Annual mean salary: $27,350
– Employment: 377,040
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,560)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,200)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,440)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#12. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,010
– #315 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $27,830
– Employment: 157,400
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,740)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,290)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($35,690)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,000
– #249 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $27,690
– Employment: 336,970
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($38,490)
— Ithaca, NY ($38,170)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,910)

Unsplash

#10. Amusement and recreation attendants

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,750
– #222 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $26,110
– Employment: 262,170
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,560)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($36,800)
— Anchorage, AK ($36,020)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#9. Cashiers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,560
– #325 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,770

National
– Annual mean salary: $26,780
– Employment: 3,335,170
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,860)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,910)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,400)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#8. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,360
– #323 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

National
– Annual mean salary: $28,040
– Employment: 220,380
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,150)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($48,900)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,910)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#7. Waiters and waitresses

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,120
– #314 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 890

National
– Annual mean salary: $29,010
– Employment: 1,804,030
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Glens Falls, NY ($47,570)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,080)
— Ithaca, NY ($44,970)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#6. Childcare workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,100
– #320 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380

National
– Annual mean salary: $27,680
– Employment: 438,520
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,390)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,120)
— Napa, CA ($36,850)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,030
– #261 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $26,000
– Employment: 324,690
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,560)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,060)
— Madera, CA ($36,490)

Crew // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Bartenders

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $21,900
– #363 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

National
– Annual mean salary: $30,340
– Employment: 485,330
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($50,180)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,820)
— Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($47,440)

Pexels

#3. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $21,780
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $26,390
– Employment: 54,970
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Charlottesville, VA ($48,540)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($39,670)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($37,140)

Pxhere

#2. Fast food and counter workers

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $21,320
– #318 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,080

National
– Annual mean salary: $26,060
– Employment: 3,095,120
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,090)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,360)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($34,240)

Daniel Lee // Flickr

#1. Cooks, fast food

Bowling Green, KY
– Annual mean salary: $19,760
– #309 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,770

National
– Annual mean salary: $25,490
– Employment: 768,130
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($36,820)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($36,640)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,040)