What Are the Top 3 Lowest-Paying Jobs?

Salary transparency is crucial in an increasingly competitive job market and helps businesses attract and retain top talent. As an employee, your salary and benefits package should meet your basic needs and help you live comfortably now and in the future. 

Attractive salaries deliver an excellent employee experience and boost overall productivity. Employees are more productive when paid right. A 2020 study found that 60% of men and 52% of women viewed financial benefits as the most crucial factor when looking for and evaluating potential employers and job opportunities.

Unsurprisingly, the highest-paying jobs of 2023 land in the medical field. While the following are the top 3 lowest-paying jobs in the United States today. 

Cooks

Although a cook’s job varies depending on the restaurant they work for, generally speaking, cooks plan, prepare, and cook food items to customers' highest quality service and experience. They also help keep the kitchen organized and running efficiently and ensure proper food handling, sanitation, and following food storage procedures.

Working as a cook is an excellent entry-level job for individuals who want to work in hospitality and expand their culinary knowledge and skills. A primary cook’s median annual salary is around $24,300, usually at a fast food restaurant such as Mcdonald's or Burger King. 

Notably, the difference between a cook and a chef is that a chef is an individual who is trained to understand flavors and cooking techniques, create recipes from scratch with fresh ingredients, and have a high level of responsibility within a kitchen. A cook is an individual who follows established recipes to prepare food.

Shampooers

As expected, shampooers shampoo and rinse customers’ hair. They may also treat scalp conditions and hair loss using specialized lotions, shampoos, or equipment such as infrared lamps or vibrating equipment, and maintain treatment records.

Formal education, credentials, or work experience is optional to be a shampooer. And while the median annual wage is about $24,320, it’s a great hands-on experience for individuals with sociable personalities who want to learn the basics of hairstyling and cosmetology.

Fast Food & Counter Workers

Fast food and counter workers perform duties such as welcoming customers into establishments, showing them to their seats, and assisting with requests. These workers generally explain the menu to customers, take orders, process payments, and serve food and beverages over the counter in coffee shops, cafeterias, movie theaters, and fast food restaurants. 

There are no formal education requirements for becoming a food and beverage worker. Most workers learn through on-the-job training, usually lasting several weeks.

Working in fast-food restaurants is one of the most popular low-paying jobs in the United States, with close to 3.5 million people currently in this job sector today getting paid a median annual salary of $24,540.