Jobs that pay $15 an hour
The 21 occupations whose BLS national median hourly wage is from $15.00 to $16.99, ranked by how many people do the job.
21 occupations have a BLS national median hourly wage from $15.00 to $16.99 (May 2025). By employment, the largest is Fast Food and Counter Workers: 3,854,050 people, median $15.00. All 21 typically need less than a bachelor's degree to enter, and 21 need a high school diploma or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections).
21 occupations, largest first
Data BLS OEWS May 2025 national medians; education from BLS Employment Projections.
| # | Occupation | Median hourly | Median annual (BLS) | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $15.00 | $31,200 | No formal credential | 3,854,050 |
| 2 | Cashier | $15.81 | $32,880 | No formal credential | 3,089,410 |
| 3 | Server | $16.94 | $35,230 | No formal credential | 2,270,910 |
| 4 | Food Preparation Workers | $16.98 | $35,320 | No formal credential | 893,600 |
| 5 | Bartender | $16.51 | $34,340 | No formal credential | 756,390 |
| 6 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $16.34 | $33,980 | No formal credential | 542,750 |
| 7 | Daycare Worker | $16.82 | $34,980 | High school diploma | 518,910 |
| 8 | Dishwasher | $16.73 | $34,810 | No formal credential | 477,450 |
| 9 | Host | $15.00 | $31,200 | No formal credential | 432,690 |
| 10 | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | $15.46 | $32,150 | No formal credential | 397,830 |
| 11 | Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $16.86 | $35,070 | High school diploma | 261,420 |
| 12 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $16.78 | $34,890 | No formal credential | 198,040 |
| 13 | Lifeguard | $16.14 | $33,580 | No formal credential | 157,550 |
| 14 | Parking Attendants | $16.90 | $35,150 | No formal credential | 137,880 |
| 15 | Usher | $15.82 | $32,910 | No formal credential | 121,770 |
| 16 | Gambling Dealers | $16.50 | $34,320 | High school diploma | 83,910 |
| 17 | School Bus Monitors | $16.88 | $35,100 | High school diploma | 78,420 |
| 18 | Physical Therapist Aides | $16.94 | $35,240 | High school diploma | 48,150 |
| 19 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $16.85 | $35,060 | No formal credential | 26,120 |
| 20 | Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | $16.82 | $34,980 | High school diploma | 8,950 |
| 21 | Shampooers | $15.67 | $32,600 | No formal credential | 8,070 |
Data Calculated, not BLS data: at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), $15 an hour is $31,200 a year before tax. Try your own hours in the pay calculator.
Who these jobs are
Data Together these 21 occupations employ 14,364,270 people (calculated sum of BLS employment). The fields with the most of them: food preparation and serving (7), personal care and service (6), production (2). Most of them (21 of 21, 100%) typically need less than a bachelor's degree.
Data The best-paid occupation in this group is Food Preparation Workers ($16.98 median); the one with the fewest people is Shampooers (8,070 employed).
How this page is built
All 748 BLS detailed occupations with a published national median (OEWS May 2025), leaving out 70 residual “all other” categories. Included: a median hourly wage from $15.00 to $16.99. Ranked by national employment. A median means half the workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less; it is not a starting wage or an offer. 52 occupations, such as teachers and airline pilots, have only an annual median from BLS and are not converted to hourly, so they cannot appear here.
- What a particular employer pays, or pay in your state or city.
- Starting pay: medians include experienced workers.
- Self-employed earnings (OEWS covers employees).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (released Aug 27, 2026; public domain): typical entry-level education, work experience, on-the-job training, projected change and annual openings.