Jobs that pay $17 an hour
The 30 occupations whose BLS national median hourly wage is from $17.00 to $17.99, ranked by how many people do the job.
30 occupations have a BLS national median hourly wage from $17.00 to $17.99 (May 2025). By employment, the largest is Sales Associate: 3,897,860 people, median $17.03. All 30 typically need less than a bachelor's degree to enter, and 28 need a high school diploma or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections).
30 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 | Sales Associate | $17.03 | $35,410 | No formal credential | 3,897,860 |
| 2 | Stocker | $17.95 | $37,330 | No formal credential | 2,833,810 |
| 3 | Janitor | $17.71 | $36,840 | No formal credential | 2,209,760 |
| 4 | Line Cook | $17.98 | $37,390 | No formal credential | 1,409,890 |
| 5 | Housekeeper | $17.07 | $35,510 | No formal credential | 860,670 |
| 6 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | $17.44 | $36,280 | No formal credential | 559,820 |
| 7 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $17.23 | $35,830 | No formal credential | 380,430 |
| 8 | Recreation Workers | $17.58 | $36,560 | High school diploma | 331,490 |
| 9 | Cosmetologist | $17.21 | $35,790 | Postsecondary certificate | 305,710 |
| 10 | Food Server | $17.00 | $35,360 | No formal credential | 293,900 |
| 11 | Zookeeper | $17.00 | $35,360 | High school diploma | 266,910 |
| 12 | Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $17.15 | $35,660 | No formal credential | 265,500 |
| 13 | Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | $17.93 | $37,290 | No formal credential | 248,530 |
| 14 | Baker | $17.86 | $37,160 | No formal credential | 236,200 |
| 15 | Nail Tech | $17.19 | $35,760 | Postsecondary certificate | 152,770 |
| 16 | Cooks, Short Order | $17.25 | $35,880 | No formal credential | 138,650 |
| 17 | Sewing Machine Operators | $17.63 | $36,670 | No formal credential | 104,880 |
| 18 | Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | $17.15 | $35,670 | No formal credential | 102,010 |
| 19 | Library Assistant | $17.74 | $36,910 | High school diploma | 85,520 |
| 20 | Telemarketer | $17.04 | $35,450 | No formal credential | 58,430 |
| 21 | Floral Designer | $17.96 | $37,360 | High school diploma | 40,590 |
| 22 | Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | $17.63 | $36,670 | No formal credential | 32,810 |
| 23 | Funeral Attendants | $17.16 | $35,680 | High school diploma | 31,090 |
| 24 | Baggage Porters and Bellhops | $17.83 | $37,080 | High school diploma | 28,510 |
| 25 | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | $17.18 | $35,730 | No formal credential | 25,180 |
| 26 | Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | $17.41 | $36,220 | No formal credential | 21,530 |
| 27 | Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants | $17.45 | $36,300 | High school diploma | 15,560 |
| 28 | Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | $17.04 | $35,450 | High school diploma | 12,630 |
| 29 | Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | $17.14 | $35,650 | High school diploma | 3,280 |
| 30 | Sewers, Hand | $17.54 | $36,480 | No formal credential | 2,190 |
Data Calculated, not BLS data: at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), $17 an hour is $35,360 a year before tax. Try your own hours in the pay calculator.
Who these jobs are
Data Together these 30 occupations employ 14,956,110 people (calculated sum of BLS employment). The fields with the most of them: personal care and service (7), transportation and material moving (6), production (4). Most of them (30 of 30, 100%) typically need less than a bachelor's degree.
Data The best-paid occupation in this group is Line Cook ($17.98 median); the one with the fewest people is Sewers, Hand (2,190 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 $17.00 to $17.99. 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.