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 Columbus. 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.
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
#50. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 9,240 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
#49. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $35,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 7,720 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#48. Designers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
#47. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,080
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 14,130 people (13.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
#46. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,930
- Median hourly wage: $16.79
- Total employment: 3,000 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
#44. Concierges (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
#44. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 1,920 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
#43. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $34,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.54
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
#42. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 670 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
#41. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
#40. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 2,820 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock
#39. Switchboard operators, including answering service
- Median annual wage: $33,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 1,540 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#37. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $33,450
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 3,640 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
#36. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 1,880 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BongkarnGraphic // Shutterstock
#35. Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Median annual wage: $33,140
- Median hourly wage: $15.93
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock
#34. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
- Median annual wage: $32,760
- Median hourly wage: $15.75
- Total employment: 180 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
#33. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $32,660
- Median hourly wage: $15.70
- Total employment: 1,710 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
#32. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $32,560
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: 590 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
#31. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $31,910
- Median hourly wage: $15.34
- Total employment: 5,070 people (4.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
#30. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $31,850
- Median hourly wage: $15.31
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#29. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $31,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 4,810 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
#28. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $31,420
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 1,150 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#27. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $31,240
- Median hourly wage: $15.02
- Total employment: 25,780 people (23.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
#26. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $31,210
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 25,540 people (23.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
#25. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 4,790 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
#23. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 2,450 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
#22. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,580
- Median hourly wage: $14.70
- Total employment: 2,070 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
#21. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $30,370
- Median hourly wage: $14.60
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
#20. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,350
- Median hourly wage: $14.59
- Total employment: 590 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
#19. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,210
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 1,300 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
#18. Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
- Median annual wage: $30,060
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
#17. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $30,020
- Median hourly wage: $14.43
- Total employment: 2,390 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Neale Cousland // Shutterstock
#16. Athletes and sports competitors
- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
#15. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $29,810
- Median hourly wage: $14.33
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $29,640
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 2,650 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
#13. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,440
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: Not available
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.10
- Total employment: 19,300 people (17.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
#11. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $28,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 310 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
#10. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,940
- Median hourly wage: $13.91
- Total employment: 32,270 people (29.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
#9. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $28,610
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
#8. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,330
- Median hourly wage: $13.62
- Total employment: 2,950 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
#7. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $28,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.49
- Total employment: 3,040 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
#6. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,600
- Median hourly wage: $13.27
- Total employment: 540 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $27,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.23
- Total employment: 3,560 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
#4. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $27,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.00
- Total employment: 740 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
#3. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $26,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $24,760
- Median hourly wage: $11.90
- Total employment: 1,740 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
#1. Occupational therapy aides
- Median annual wage: $22,500
- Median hourly wage: $10.82
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 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.
