Special Report

Lowest Paying Jobs for College Grads

Charles Stockdale

Published: August 29, 2017 6:00 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 8:42 am

A college degree is often required to work in one of the nation’s top-earning fields. The average annual salary for positions that typically require a college degree is $73,785 – nearly twice the average salary of those occupations that generally require no degree. However, a college degree does not guarantee a high-paying position.

For example: a person typically needs a bachelor’s degree in order to be a legislator, yet the annual median wage for this job is $23,470. This is significantly lower than the annual median wage of $37,040 for all occupations – with or without a degree requirement.

To identify the 33 lowest paying jobs for college grads with an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or a doctoral or professional degree, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed annual median wage estimates for all occupations from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While four of the 33 lowest-paying jobs typically require a master’s degree, most require either an associate or a bachelor’s degree. Many of the jobs are also in similar fields, such as education and social work. Nine of the jobs are some type of technician.

Employment in the jobs on this list is also projected – with a few exceptions – to either shrink or grow below the 6.5% average employment growth for all occupations from 2014 to 2024. This could imply that workers are moving away from jobs that generally require an expensive investment in higher education, yet provide relatively little financial payoff. Notable exceptions to this trend are substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors and mental health counselors. Employment in these two occupation is projected to increase by 22.3% and 19.6%, respectively.

Click here to see the lowest paying jobs for college grads.

To identify the lowest paying jobs that typically require a college degree, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed annual median wage estimates for all occupations from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage data are from the May 2016 survey. Data concerning the typical education needed for each occupation came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2014 Employment Projections report. The percentages of workers 25 and older in each of these occupations who have less than a high school diploma, high school diploma or equivalent, some college but no degree, an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctoral or professional degree also came from the BLS’ 2014 Employment Projections report. Total and projected employment for each occupation also came from this source. Full- and part-time occupations are included across all employment types, including federal, state, and local governments, as well as all private establishments. The Employment Projections report includes self-employed workers, while the OES excludes such workers.

Source: Thinkstock

33. Credit counselors
> Median annual wage: $44,380
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 32,600
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +15.5%

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32. Counselors, all other
> Median annual wage: $44,350
> Typical education needed: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 31,000
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +11.0%

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31. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
> Median annual wage: $44,190
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 36,200
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +9.5%

Source: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

30. Child, family, and school social workers
> Median annual wage: $43,250
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 305,200
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +6.2%

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29. Social science research assistants
> Median annual wage: $43,190
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 32,000
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +5.6%

Source: Thinkstock

28. Community and social service specialists, all other
> Median annual wage: $43,120
> Typical education needed: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 102,700
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +8.2%

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27. Mental health counselors
> Median annual wage: $42,840
> Typical education needed: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 134,500
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +19.6%

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26. Agricultural inspectors
> Median annual wage: $42,800
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 14,200
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -0.6%

Source: Thinkstock

25. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
> Median annual wage: $42,700
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 117,800
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +18.9%

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24. Education, training, and library workers, all other
> Median annual wage: $42,600
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 124,000
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +7.4%

Source: Thinkstock

23. Biological technicians
> Median annual wage: $42,520
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 79,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +5.2%

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22. Desktop publishers
> Median annual wage: $41,090
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 14,800
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -21.0%

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21. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors
> Median annual wage: $41,070
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 94,900
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +22.3%

Source: Thinkstock

20. Camera and photographic equipment repairers
> Median annual wage: $41,060
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 3,700
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +4.7%

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19. Museum technicians and conservators
> Median annual wage: $40,040
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 11,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +5.2%

Source: Thinkstock

18. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
> Median annual wage: $39,020
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 140,600
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -4.1%

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17. Medical and clinical laboratory technicians
> Median annual wage: $38,950
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 163,400
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +17.8%

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16. Directors, religious activities and education
> Median annual wage: $38,610
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 131,900
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +4.3%

Source: Thinkstock

15. Broadcast technicians
> Median annual wage: $38,550
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 30,100
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -6.5%

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14. Reporters and correspondents
> Median annual wage: $37,820
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 49,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -8.5%

Source: Thinkstock

13. Agricultural and food science technicians
> Median annual wage: $37,550
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 33,000
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +4.9%

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12. Proofreaders and copy markers
> Median annual wage: $36,960
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 13,600
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -2.4%

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11. Semiconductor processors
> Median annual wage: $35,660
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 25,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -8.3%

Source: Thinkstock

10. Forest and conservation technicians
> Median annual wage: $35,560
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 32,600
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -5.7%

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9. Rehabilitation counselors
> Median annual wage: $34,670
> Typical education needed: Master’s degree
> Total employment: 120,100
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +9.0%

Source: Thinkstock

8. Graduate teaching assistants
> Median annual wage: $34,240
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 159,200
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +6.2%

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7. Veterinary technologists and technicians
> Median annual wage: $32,490
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 95,600
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +18.7%

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6. Coaches and scouts
> Median annual wage: $31,460
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 250,600
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +5.9%

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5. Radio and television announcers
> Median annual wage: $31,400
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 42,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -14.3%

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4. Religious workers, all other
> Median annual wage: $28,820
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 55,900
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +4.7%

Source: Thinkstock

3. Preschool teachers, except special education
> Median annual wage: $28,790
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 441,000
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +6.7%

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2. Dietetic technicians
> Median annual wage: $26,350
> Typical education needed: Associate degree
> Total employment: 29,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): +13.3%

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1. Legislators
> Median annual wage: $23,470
> Typical education needed: Bachelor’s degree
> Total employment: 58,300
> Projected employment growth (2014-2024): -0.7%