Lowest-paying jobs in Elizabethtown

Published 12:39 pm Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Unsplash

Lowest-paying jobs in Elizabethtown

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 Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, 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.

fizkes // Shutterstock

#50. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,980
– #302 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $45,730
– Employment: 101,030
– Entry level education requirements: nan
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,800)
— Ocean City, NJ ($60,360)
— Barnstable Town, MA ($60,230)

Canva

#49. Butchers and meat cutters

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,950
– #205 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)

Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock

#48. Office clerks, general

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,610
– #296 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 830

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,990
– Employment: 2,578,180
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($49,980)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($49,740)
— Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($48,850)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

#47. Pharmacy technicians

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,530
– #304 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

National
– Annual mean salary: $37,970
– Employment: 436,630
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,340)
— Napa, CA ($58,620)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,390)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

#46. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,470
– #324 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 340

National
– Annual mean salary: $39,740
– Employment: 656,640
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($56,010)
— Napa, CA ($52,630)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,300)

Pixabay

#45. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,350
– #213 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 880

National
– Annual mean salary: $34,950
– Employment: 2,729,010
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,210)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,230)
— Fairbanks, AK ($42,590)

zhu difeng // Shutterstock

#44. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $32,900
– #236 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,520
– Employment: 159,790
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,950)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($45,550)
— Portland-South Portland, ME ($44,840)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

#43. Court, municipal, and license clerks

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $32,810
– #336 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

National
– Annual mean salary: $44,870
– Employment: 150,170
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#42. Social and human service assistants

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $32,560
– #320 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

National
– Annual mean salary: $40,460
– Employment: 398,380
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($56,140)
— Danbury, CT ($54,870)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,590)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

#41. Correctional officers and jailers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $32,200
– #254 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $53,420
– Employment: 392,600
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
— Salinas, CA ($89,100)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)

You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Elizabethtown

Pixabay

#40. Parts salespersons

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,910
– #317 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

National
– Annual mean salary: $36,920
– Employment: 265,130
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($48,330)
— Danville, IL ($48,080)
— Barnstable Town, MA ($47,620)

Sean Rayford // Getty Images

#39. Security guards

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,790
– #273 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

#38. Highway maintenance workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,630
– #306 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

OLIVIER DOULIERY // Getty Images

#37. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $31,550
– #367 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 520

National
– Annual mean salary: $39,150
– Employment: 1,040,600
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,950)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,140)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($50,430)

Milkovasa // Shutterstock

#36. Medical assistants

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,870
– #361 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320

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)

You may also like: Closest national parks to Elizabethtown

Canva

#35. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,510
– #298 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

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)

Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos // Flickr

#34. Counter and rental clerks

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,300
– #306 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#33. Tellers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $30,210
– #346 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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)

The Boston Globe // Getty Images

#32. Stockers and order fillers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $29,710
– #268 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 870

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)

viviandnguyen_ // Flickr

#31. Packers and packagers, hand

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $29,520
– #179 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Elizabethtown

Canva

#30. Tire repairers and changers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,830
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#29. Retail salespersons

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,750
– #279 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,800

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)

Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

#28. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $28,450
– #310 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Unsplash

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

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $27,940
– #261 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 630

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

#26. Nursing assistants

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,990
– #354 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 670

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: How Elizabethtown feels about climate change

Canva

#25. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,830
– #308 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

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)

New Africa // Shutterstock

#24. Receptionists and information clerks

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,800
– #371 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320

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)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

#23. Emergency medical technicians

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,710
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $36,690
– Employment: 161,400
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($63,500)
— Coeur d’Alene, ID ($59,020)
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($58,770)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#22. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,570
– #256 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

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)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#21. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,400
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

Jorge Royan // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Cooks, restaurant

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,270
– #329 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 400

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)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#19. Recreation workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $26,030
– #341 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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

#18. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,800
– #336 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

Canva

#17. Food preparation workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,230
– #273 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#16. Driver/sales workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $25,030
– #356 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 340

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)

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

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#15. Animal caretakers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $24,800
– #315 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#14. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $24,260
– #295 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#13. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $24,070
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Ryan Everton // Unsplash

#12. Dishwashers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,870
– #220 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#11. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,830
– #263 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)

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

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#10. Childcare workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,750
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 310

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)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#9. Food servers, nonrestaurant

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,630
– #284 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $29,500
– Employment: 243,030
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Napa, CA ($46,270)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,930)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,400)

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#8. Residential advisors

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,320
– #274 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#7. Cashiers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $23,020
– #297 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,390

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#6. Waiters and waitresses

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $22,940
– #296 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 550

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)

Unsplash

#5. Amusement and recreation attendants

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $21,660
– #275 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

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

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $21,620
– #277 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $21,410
– #322 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

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)

Pxhere

#2. Fast food and counter workers

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $20,460
– #353 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 810

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

Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
– Annual mean salary: $19,930
– #304 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,460

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)