Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

Lowest-paying jobs in Anniston

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 Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL, 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.

You may also like: People from these metros are finding new jobs in Anniston

Canva

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

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $29,630
– #258 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $35,090
– Employment: 88,480
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Pittsfield, MA ($58,590)
— Reno, NV ($50,700)
— Springfield, MA-CT ($50,600)

Pixabay

#49. Parts salespersons

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $29,470
– #372 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

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)

Canva

#48. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $29,310
– #236 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $40,070
– Employment: 93,070
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Barnstable Town, MA ($56,220)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,100)
— Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($54,070)

Pixabay

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

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $29,240
– #365 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,270

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)

Canva

#46. Butchers and meat cutters

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $29,130
– #333 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)

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

Canva

#45. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $29,070
– #280 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $42,780
– Employment: 126,050
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($70,740)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,470)
— Napa, CA ($60,830)

Milkovasa // Shutterstock

#44. Medical assistants

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $28,910
– #383 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270

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)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

#43. Highway maintenance workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $28,900
– #324 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

DuxX // Shutterstock

#42. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $28,560
– #309 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $36,750
– Employment: 358,640
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Battle Creek, MI ($60,150)
— Albany, GA ($53,570)
— Fort Collins, CO ($50,590)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#41. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $28,200
– #305 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,840
– Employment: 169,840
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,820)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,920)
— Salinas, CA ($52,980)

You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Anniston metro area

The Boston Globe // Getty Images

#40. Stockers and order fillers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $27,650
– #367 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 750

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)

Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos // Flickr

#39. Counter and rental clerks

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $27,490
– #372 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

Canva

#38. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $27,360
– #272 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70

National
– Annual mean salary: $29,960
– Employment: 111,480
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($50,340)
— Fairbanks, AK ($41,840)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,120)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

#37. Recreation workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $26,470
– #335 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

#36. Emergency medical technicians

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $26,300
– #270 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Anniston metro area

New Africa // Shutterstock

#35. Receptionists and information clerks

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $26,240
– #381 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#34. Retail salespersons

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $26,120
– #371 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,530

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)

Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock

#33. Office clerks, general

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $26,060
– #381 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510

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)

Canva

#32. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $25,620
– #388 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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)

viviandnguyen_ // Flickr

#31. Packers and packagers, hand

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $25,550
– #298 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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: How gas prices have changed in Anniston in the last week

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

#30. Sewing machine operators

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $25,030
– #221 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

National
– Annual mean salary: $30,880
– Employment: 116,220
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Appleton, WI ($43,060)
— Glens Falls, NY ($42,270)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($40,660)

Canva

#29. Helpers–production workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $24,800
– #331 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 300

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,910
– Employment: 202,860
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($48,190)
— Pittsfield, MA ($43,910)
— Reno, NV ($41,940)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#28. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $24,750
– #353 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

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)

CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#27. Preschool teachers, except special education

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $24,560
– #364 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

National
– Annual mean salary: $36,460
– Employment: 391,670
– Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990)
— Ocean City, NJ ($49,720)
— Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#26. Nursing assistants

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $24,490
– #383 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

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: Most expensive homes for sale in Anniston

Unsplash

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

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $24,440
– #364 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540

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)

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#24. Residential advisors

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $24,000
– #268 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80

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)

Jorge Royan // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Cooks, restaurant

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $23,970
– #386 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)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#22. Animal caretakers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $23,480
– #363 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

PxHere

#21. Library assistants, clerical

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $22,740
– #245 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $32,490
– Employment: 78,470
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($53,770)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,500)
— Santa Rosa, CA ($49,030)

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

Canva

#20. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $22,660
– #382 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200

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)

Unsplash

#19. Amusement and recreation attendants

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $22,580
– #234 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)

Crew // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Bartenders

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $22,340
– #354 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

National
– Annual mean salary: $30,340
– Employment: 485,330
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($50,180)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,820)
— Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($47,440)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#17. Cashiers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $21,670
– #363 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,430

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)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $21,570
– #339 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Anniston metro area

Canva

#15. Food preparation workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $21,440
– #379 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510

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)

Ryan Everton // Unsplash

#14. Dishwashers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $21,200
– #358 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#13. Childcare workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $21,010
– #356 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#12. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $20,860
– #383 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230

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)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $20,710
– #344 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#10. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $20,550
– #353 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

#9. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $20,120
– #348 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

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

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $19,840
– #337 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

Daniel Lee // Flickr

#7. Cooks, fast food

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $19,670
– #310 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 640

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#6. Waiters and waitresses

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $19,580
– #377 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 630

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)

You may also like: Closest national parks to Anniston

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#5. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $19,280
– #387 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

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)

Pxhere

#3 (tie). Fast food and counter workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $19,130
– #384 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 990

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)

Pixabay

#3 (tie). Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $19,130
– #235 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

National
– Annual mean salary: $27,320
– Employment: 114,320
– Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Urban Honolulu, HI ($43,930)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,420)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($37,930)

Education Images // Getty Images

#2. Substitute teachers, short-term

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $18,630
– #298 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,410
– Employment: 374,620
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Prescott, AZ ($64,310)
— Appleton, WI ($63,310)
— Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($58,770)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

#1. Bus drivers, school

Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
– Annual mean salary: $18,420
– #338 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240

National
– Annual mean salary: $38,750
– Employment: 361,420
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Elkhart-Goshen, IN ($55,400)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($55,150)
— Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($53,770)