Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.

However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.

With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.

Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.

It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Rome. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

ESB Basic // Shutterstock

#49. Customer service representatives (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,550
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 700 people (15.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

#49. Parts salespersons (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,550
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

nullplus // Shutterstock

#48. Light truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 200 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kanemme6 // Shutterstock

#47. Tire repairers and changers

- Median annual wage: $36,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

#46. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 80 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lee Charlie // Shutterstock

#45. Court, municipal, and license clerks

- Median annual wage: $36,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 70 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

#44. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

- Median annual wage: $36,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 530 people (12.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

#43. Stockers and order fillers

- Median annual wage: $35,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 1,420 people (32.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

#42. Production workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $35,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.16
- Total employment: 420 people (9.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

#41. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 150 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

#40. File clerks

- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

#39. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $34,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 200 people (4.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock

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

- Median annual wage: $34,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 1,610 people (36.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#37. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $34,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: Not available

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

#36. Security guards

- Median annual wage: $34,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: Not available

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#35. Social and human service assistants

- Median annual wage: $34,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 170 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#34. Nursing assistants

- Median annual wage: $33,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 880 people (19.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

#33. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $33,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 200 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#32. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $33,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.92
- Total employment: 890 people (20.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

#31. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $32,870
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 390 people (8.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#30. Tutors

- Median annual wage: $32,790
- Median hourly wage: $15.76
- Total employment: 90 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#29. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $32,140
- Median hourly wage: $15.45
- Total employment: 200 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leika production // Shutterstock

#28. Couriers and messengers

- Median annual wage: $31,960
- Median hourly wage: $15.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

#27. Physical therapist aides

- Median annual wage: $31,440
- Median hourly wage: $15.11
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

#26. Educational instruction and library workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $30,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

#25. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $30,290
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 400 people (9.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#24. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $30,260
- Median hourly wage: $14.55
- Total employment: 300 people (6.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

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

- Median annual wage: $30,210
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 600 people (13.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

#22. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

- Median annual wage: $29,990
- Median hourly wage: $14.42
- Total employment: 100 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock

#21. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $29,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.34
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

#20. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $28,600
- Median hourly wage: $13.75
- Total employment: 60 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#19. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $27,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (7.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#17. Driver/sales workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $27,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.28
- Total employment: 120 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#17. Cashiers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $27,630
- Median hourly wage: $13.29
- Total employment: 890 people (20.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#16. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $27,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

#15. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $27,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 110 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

#14. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $27,280
- Median hourly wage: $13.12
- Total employment: 360 people (8.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#13. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $27,270
- Median hourly wage: $13.11
- Total employment: 1,390 people (31.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

#12. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $26,370
- Median hourly wage: $12.68
- Total employment: 110 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

#11. Motor vehicle operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $25,890
- Median hourly wage: $12.45
- Total employment: 230 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#10. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $25,310
- Median hourly wage: $12.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

#9. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $24,390
- Median hourly wage: $11.73
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

#8. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $24,320
- Median hourly wage: $11.69
- Total employment: 1,830 people (41.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#7. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $23,120
- Median hourly wage: $11.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

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

- Median annual wage: $22,850
- Median hourly wage: $10.99
- Total employment: 110 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

#5. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $22,790
- Median hourly wage: $10.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

#4. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $22,190
- Median hourly wage: $10.67
- Total employment: 150 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#3. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $21,930
- Median hourly wage: $10.54
- Total employment: 190 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

#2. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $21,820
- Median hourly wage: $10.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#1. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $21,560
- Median hourly wage: $10.36
- Total employment: 780 people (17.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.