Lowest-paying jobs in Pittsburgh

Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.

However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.

With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.

Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.

It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Pittsburgh. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

Cineberg // Shutterstock

#50. Helpers, construction trades, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,130
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#49. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $32,970
- Median hourly wage: $15.85
- Total employment: 3,350 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

#48. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $32,800
- Median hourly wage: $15.77
- Total employment: 2,220 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rudenkois // Shutterstock

#47. Musical instrument repairers and tuners

- Median annual wage: $32,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: Not available

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#46. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $32,060
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 980 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#45. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $31,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 1,900 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

#44. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $31,700
- Median hourly wage: $15.24
- Total employment: Not available

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#43. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 4,190 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

#42. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians

- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 280 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

#41. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 570 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

#40. Demonstrators and product promoters

- Median annual wage: $31,010
- Median hourly wage: $14.91
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

antoniodiaz // Shutterstock

#39. Gambling dealers

- Median annual wage: $30,900
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 670 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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#38. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $30,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 6,320 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#37. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $30,830
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 16,590 people (14.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suteren // Shutterstock

#36. Dietetic technicians

- Median annual wage: $30,740
- Median hourly wage: $14.78
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock

#35. Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $30,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.73
- Total employment: Not available

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#34. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers

- Median annual wage: $30,390
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#33. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $30,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 3,750 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock

#32. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

- Median annual wage: $30,100
- Median hourly wage: $14.47
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#31. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $30,020
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 29,130 people (26.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carlovis // Shutterstock

#30. Tour and travel guides

- Median annual wage: $29,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 470 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

#29. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 280 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

#28. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $29,620
- Median hourly wage: $14.24
- Total employment: 1,050 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#27. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $29,600
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 1,330 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

encierro // Shutterstock

#26. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals

- Median annual wage: $29,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.09
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

#25. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $29,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.07
- Total employment: 35,740 people (32.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock

#24. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants

- Median annual wage: $29,230
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#23. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $29,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.05
- Total employment: 2,310 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

#22. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Median annual wage: $29,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 690 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#21. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 20,940 people (18.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#20. Baggage porters and bellhops

- Median annual wage: $28,900
- Median hourly wage: $13.89
- Total employment: 90 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

#19. Barbers

- Median annual wage: $28,870
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

#18. Library assistants, clerical

- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 1,090 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

#17. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $28,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.80
- Total employment: 4,150 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

#16. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $28,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.76
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

#15. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 3,710 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

#14. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $28,260
- Median hourly wage: $13.59
- Total employment: 3,900 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

#13. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $28,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.48
- Total employment: 27,020 people (24.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#12. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $28,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 2,660 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

hedgehog94 // Shutterstock

#11. Shampooers

- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: Not available

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#10. Driver/sales workers

- Median annual wage: $27,080
- Median hourly wage: $13.02
- Total employment: 4,190 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

#9. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Median annual wage: $27,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.01
- Total employment: 780 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

#8. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers

- Median annual wage: $27,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.00
- Total employment: 420 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

#7. Motor vehicle operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $26,800
- Median hourly wage: $12.88
- Total employment: 220 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

#6. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $26,690
- Median hourly wage: $12.83
- Total employment: 1,410 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

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

- Median annual wage: $26,670
- Median hourly wage: $12.82
- Total employment: 3,010 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

#4. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $24,130
- Median hourly wage: $11.60
- Total employment: 2,010 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

#3. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $23,210
- Median hourly wage: $11.16
- Total employment: 6,800 people (6.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

#2. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $23,190
- Median hourly wage: $11.15
- Total employment: 3,330 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Motortion Films // Shutterstock

#1. Personal care and service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $22,270
- Median hourly wage: $10.71
- Total employment: 540 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.