Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Jobs That Pay Under $50,000 a Year (2026)
0 U.S. occupations have a national median salary under $50k based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 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 $50,000. The list includes entry-level service work, support roles, retail and food-service positions, and some education and social-services roles where public-sector pay holds the median below market.
Pay below $50K is the broadest tier of U.S. employment and the floor of the formal labor market. The figures below are base wages — many roles in this band include tips, commissions, or additional compensation that is not captured in BLS percentile data.
Full Ranking (0 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median Salary | Top Metro | Employment |
|---|
No roles currently fall in this pay range.
Education and Credentials Required
Most roles in this band do not require post-secondary education. Where education is required, it is typically short-term certificates or, for some specialized public-sector roles, bachelor's degrees that are paid below market.
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 $50k as of 2026 (BLS OEWS 2025 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 do not require post-secondary education. Where education is required, it is typically short-term certificates or, for some specialized public-sector roles, bachelor's degrees that are paid below market.
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 2025 data. Roles sorted by national median salary.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.