Ohioans are still working for too little in 2026
A full-time job should pay enough to afford the basics, but a new Policy Matters Ohio report finds that nine of the 10 most common Ohio jobs pay less than what it takes to support a small family. The 2026 Still Working for Too Little report analyzes the state’s most common occupations and finds that wages continue to lag the cost of living for many workers across the state.
“Ohio workers help create the wealth that keeps our economy running, but too many are not sharing in the benefits,” said Heather Smith, work & wages researcher at Policy Matters Ohio and author of the report. “When some of the state’s most common jobs pay so little that a full-time worker with a family would qualify for food assistance, that’s a sign the economy is not working for everyone.”
The report finds that four of Ohio’s 10 most common occupations paid so little in 2025 that the median full-time worker with a family of three would qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Those occupations employ more than 510,000 Ohioans. Nine of the 10 most common occupations paid less than the estimated cost of living for a family of three, and 84.5% of Ohio jobs were in occupations with a median wage below that threshold.
“Ohioans work hard, but the data confirm what workers already know from experience: Many employers don’t pay enough to afford the basics, and many don’t give raises that keep up with rising costs.”
The report also examines two decades of economic policy and finds that Ohio’s long-running tax-cut strategy has failed to deliver the broadly shared prosperity its proponents promised. In the 20 years since Ohio legislators began a campaign of tax cuts that now cost the state an estimated $17 billion annually, Ohio’s job growth has slowed dramatically, and a smaller share of Ohio’s population is employed today than before the tax-cut era began.
“Twenty years of tax cuts have not solved the fundamental problem facing working people in Ohio: Employers pay too little,” Smith said. “As always, lawmakers can build a stronger economy by requiring higher wages and protecting workers’ ability to organize. They should also reverse course on their failed tax-cut campaign by raising more revenue from the wealthy and corporations. Doing so would allow the state to support the public services that help families and communities thrive.”
Alongside the statewide report, Policy Matters Ohio released fact sheets for 12 Ohio metropolitan areas highlighting local jobs and wage trends. All materials are available from policymattersohio.org.