Lowest-paying jobs in Owensboro

Published 7:38 pm Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Lowest-paying jobs in Owensboro

The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.

The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.

Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.

The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Owensboro. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.


Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock

#50. Office clerks, general

– Median annual wage: $35,010
– Median hourly wage: $16.83
– Total employment: 780 people (15.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

#49. Court, municipal, and license clerks

– Median annual wage: $34,680
– Median hourly wage: $16.68
– Total employment: 60 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

#48. Highway maintenance workers

– Median annual wage: $34,630
– Median hourly wage: $16.65
– Total employment: 60 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

#47. First-line supervisors of security workers

– Median annual wage: $34,210
– Median hourly wage: $16.45
– Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Milkovasa // Shutterstock

#46. Medical assistants

– Median annual wage: $34,110
– Median hourly wage: $16.40
– Total employment: 310 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

industryviews // Shutterstock

#45. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

– Median annual wage: $33,530
– Median hourly wage: $16.12
– Total employment: 90 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#44. Nursing assistants

– Median annual wage: $33,490
– Median hourly wage: $16.10
– Total employment: 560 people (11.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

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

– Median annual wage: $32,930
– Median hourly wage: $15.83
– Total employment: 410 people (8.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

zhu difeng // Shutterstock

#42. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers

– Median annual wage: $32,390
– Median hourly wage: $15.57
– Total employment: 100 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#41. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

– Median annual wage: $31,350
– Median hourly wage: $15.07
– Total employment: 160 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#40. Butchers and meat cutters

– Median annual wage: $31,190
– Median hourly wage: $14.99
– Total employment: 30 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

#39. Production workers, all other

– Median annual wage: $31,070
– Median hourly wage: $14.94
– Total employment: 140 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

#38. Parts salespersons

– Median annual wage: $30,890
– Median hourly wage: $14.85
– Total employment: 110 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

giocalde // Shutterstock

#37. Printing press operators

– Median annual wage: $30,520
– Median hourly wage: $14.67
– Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#36. Tellers

– Median annual wage: $30,490
– Median hourly wage: $14.66
– Total employment: 150 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#35. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

– Median annual wage: $30,470
– Median hourly wage: $14.65
– Total employment: 300 people (5.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

#34. Opticians, dispensing

– Median annual wage: $30,360
– Median hourly wage: $14.60
– Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

#33. Healthcare support workers, all other

– Median annual wage: $29,780
– Median hourly wage: $14.32
– Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

#32. Emergency medical technicians

– Median annual wage: $29,740
– Median hourly wage: $14.30
– Total employment: 90 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#31. Social and human service assistants

– Median annual wage: $29,470
– Median hourly wage: $14.17
– Total employment: 170 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

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

– Median annual wage: $29,400
– Median hourly wage: $14.13
– Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

#29. Veterinary technologists and technicians

– Median annual wage: $29,340
– Median hourly wage: $14.11
– Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

#28. Receptionists and information clerks

– Median annual wage: $29,290
– Median hourly wage: $14.08
– Total employment: 370 people (7.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#27. Home health and personal care aides

– Median annual wage: $29,100
– Median hourly wage: $13.99
– Total employment: 860 people (16.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#26. Cooks, restaurant

– Median annual wage: $28,720
– Median hourly wage: $13.81
– Total employment: 490 people (9.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#25. Stockers and order fillers

– Median annual wage: $28,320
– Median hourly wage: $13.62
– Total employment: 1,220 people (24.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#24. Bartenders

– Median annual wage: $28,230
– Median hourly wage: $13.57
– Total employment: 110 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#23. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

– Median annual wage: $28,220
– Median hourly wage: Not available
– Total employment: 520 people (10.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#22. Retail salespersons

– Median annual wage: $28,200
– Median hourly wage: $13.56
– Total employment: 1,370 people (27.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#21. Security guards

– Median annual wage: $27,560
– Median hourly wage: $13.25
– Total employment: 580 people (11.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#20. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

– Median annual wage: $27,470
– Median hourly wage: $13.21
– Total employment: 370 people (7.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

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

– Median annual wage: $26,980
– Median hourly wage: $12.97
– Total employment: 920 people (18.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#18. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

– Median annual wage: $26,660
– Median hourly wage: $12.82
– Total employment: 60 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#17. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

– Median annual wage: $26,060
– Median hourly wage: $12.53
– Total employment: 310 people (6.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#16. Library assistants, clerical

– Median annual wage: $25,780
– Median hourly wage: $12.39
– Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#15. Dishwashers

– Median annual wage: $25,090
– Median hourly wage: $12.06
– Total employment: 110 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

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

– Median annual wage: $24,960
– Median hourly wage: $12.00
– Total employment: 200 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Canva

#13. Food preparation workers

– Median annual wage: $24,890
– Median hourly wage: $11.96
– Total employment: 260 people (5.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#12. Residential advisors

– Median annual wage: $24,710
– Median hourly wage: $11.88
– Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#11. Childcare workers

– Median annual wage: $24,640
– Median hourly wage: $11.85
– Total employment: 340 people (6.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

#10. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

– Median annual wage: $24,600
– Median hourly wage: $11.83
– Total employment: 80 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#9. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

– Median annual wage: $23,760
– Median hourly wage: $11.42
– Total employment: 60 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#8. Cashiers

– Median annual wage: $23,750
– Median hourly wage: $11.42
– Total employment: 1,310 people (25.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

#7. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

– Median annual wage: $23,150
– Median hourly wage: $11.13
– Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#6. Animal caretakers

– Median annual wage: $22,900
– Median hourly wage: $11.01
– Total employment: 80 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#5. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

– Median annual wage: $22,880
– Median hourly wage: $11.00
– Total employment: 80 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#4. Driver/sales workers

– Median annual wage: $22,780
– Median hourly wage: $10.95
– Total employment: 240 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

#3. Cooks, fast food

– Median annual wage: $22,240
– Median hourly wage: $10.69
– Total employment: 1,040 people (20.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#2. Recreation workers

– Median annual wage: $21,170
– Median hourly wage: $10.18
– Total employment: 170 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#1. Waiters and waitresses

– Median annual wage: $21,150
– Median hourly wage: $10.17
– Total employment: 770 people (15.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)