Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024 reference period
Jobs Paying Under $30,000 a Year (2026)
0 U.S. occupations have a national median salary under $30k based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2024 data, employing roughly 0 workers. The highest-paying role in this band is undefined ($0 median); the lowest is undefined ($0). Pay varies significantly by metro — top-paying cities can run 30–60% above the listed median for high-skill occupations.
These are the 0 BLS-tracked occupations with national median salaries below $30,000 — the floor of full-time U.S. employment. The list is dominated by service, retail, food-service, and basic-support roles where part-time work is also common.
Pay below $30K is the entry tier of the U.S. labor market. Many roles in this band include tips or commissions not captured in the BLS base-wage data; the published medians may understate take-home pay for service workers in tipped positions.
Full Ranking (0 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median Salary | Top Metro | Employment |
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No roles currently fall in this pay range.
Education and Credentials Required
Most roles in this band require only a high-school education or no formal credentials beyond ability to perform the work. Many are typical first jobs and stepping stones to higher pay tiers.
How to Use This List
The figures above are national medians. Actual pay varies by metro area, employer size, and individual experience and credentials. For role-specific city data, click any occupation to see the full BLS percentile breakdown by metro. For pay benchmarking against your own offer, the salary percentile calculator places any number you enter into the BLS distribution.
For reaching this pay band, the practical path differs by occupation. Healthcare specialist roles in higher pay bands require specific licensure that takes years; technology roles often require demonstrated specialization plus a track record at well-paying employers; management roles require time-in-role plus willingness to take on scope. Each role page covers the typical credential and experience profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
0 BLS-tracked occupations have a national median salary under $30k as of 2026 (BLS OEWS 2024 reference period). Total employment across these occupations is approximately 0 workers. The figures are base wages — bonus, equity, and other compensation are excluded.
No roles currently fall in this pay range.
The figures listed are raw BLS national medians (employment-weighted across metros). Actual purchasing power depends on local cost of living — a salary in San Francisco or New York buys materially less than the same number in a low-cost metro. Each role page on this site shows COL-adjusted pay for every BLS-tracked metro.
Most roles in this band require only a high-school education or no formal credentials beyond ability to perform the work. Many are typical first jobs and stepping stones to higher pay tiers.
Every wage figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers across all industries. The OEWS publishes annual percentile wages by occupation and metropolitan area; the figures on this page are national medians employment-weighted across all BLS-tracked metros.
Related Pages
National medians are employment-weighted across BLS-tracked metros, using OEWS 2024 data. Roles sorted by national median salary.