Jobs that pay $18 an hour
The 32 occupations whose BLS national median hourly wage is from $18.00 to $18.99, ranked by how many people do the job.
32 occupations have a BLS national median hourly wage from $18.00 to $18.99 (May 2025). By employment, the largest is Security Guard: 1,283,470 people, median $18.28. All 32 typically need less than a bachelor's degree to enter, and 29 need a high school diploma or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections).
32 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 | Security Guard | $18.28 | $38,020 | High school diploma | 1,283,470 |
| 2 | Landscaper | $18.82 | $39,150 | No formal credential | 952,640 |
| 3 | Receptionist | $18.27 | $38,010 | High school diploma | 910,180 |
| 4 | Preschool Teacher | $18.34 | $38,140 | Associate's degree | 478,780 |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $18.01 | $37,450 | No formal credential | 441,050 |
| 6 | Driver/Sales Workers | $18.64 | $38,770 | High school diploma | 409,180 |
| 7 | Parts Salespersons | $18.57 | $38,630 | No formal credential | 270,070 |
| 8 | Helpers--Production Workers | $18.78 | $39,070 | High school diploma | 165,700 |
| 9 | Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers | $18.94 | $39,390 | High school diploma | 165,220 |
| 10 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $18.41 | $38,300 | No formal credential | 145,700 |
| 11 | Vet Assistant | $18.34 | $38,150 | High school diploma | 126,580 |
| 12 | Tire Repairers and Changers | $18.13 | $37,710 | High school diploma | 108,410 |
| 13 | Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $18.32 | $38,100 | No formal credential | 94,360 |
| 14 | Couriers and Messengers | $18.85 | $39,200 | High school diploma | 68,640 |
| 15 | Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $18.91 | $39,320 | No formal credential | 64,520 |
| 16 | Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service | $18.89 | $39,280 | High school diploma | 55,230 |
| 17 | Orderlies | $18.41 | $38,290 | High school diploma | 52,440 |
| 18 | Concierges | $18.73 | $38,950 | High school diploma | 49,240 |
| 19 | Pharmacy Aides | $18.12 | $37,680 | High school diploma | 39,530 |
| 20 | Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service | $18.57 | $38,630 | High school diploma | 34,280 |
| 21 | Dietetic Technician | $18.09 | $37,640 | Associate's degree | 31,560 |
| 22 | Passenger Attendants | $18.14 | $37,720 | High school diploma | 27,110 |
| 23 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $18.59 | $38,670 | High school diploma | 22,020 |
| 24 | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $18.97 | $39,460 | High school diploma | 18,660 |
| 25 | Barber | $18.37 | $38,210 | Postsecondary certificate | 15,000 |
| 26 | Gambling Cage Workers | $18.07 | $37,580 | High school diploma | 14,430 |
| 27 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $18.64 | $38,760 | High school diploma | 9,000 |
| 28 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $18.17 | $37,800 | High school diploma | 7,450 |
| 29 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | $18.28 | $38,020 | No formal credential | 6,060 |
| 30 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $18.36 | $38,180 | High school diploma | 5,310 |
| 31 | Occupational Therapy Aides | $18.83 | $39,160 | High school diploma | 4,310 |
| 32 | Motion Picture Projectionists | $18.40 | $38,270 | No formal credential | 1,480 |
Data Calculated, not BLS data: at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), $18 an hour is $37,440 a year before tax. Try your own hours in the pay calculator.
Who these jobs are
Data Together these 32 occupations employ 6,077,610 people (calculated sum of BLS employment). The fields with the most of them: production (8), office and administrative support (5), healthcare support (4). Most of them (32 of 32, 100%) typically need less than a bachelor's degree.
Data The best-paid occupation in this group is Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians ($18.97 median); the one with the fewest people is Motion Picture Projectionists (1,480 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 $18.00 to $18.99. 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.