What pays what here
Valley-wide figures for Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, all experience levels (BLS OEWS, May 2025). BLS took them before Arizona's current rate began, which is why retail, cashier and home care 10th percentiles sit a little under $15.15 today.
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| Occupation | Jobs in metro | 10th percentile | Median here | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand laborers and material movers | 56,420 | $16.93 | $21.61 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and order fillers | 42,650 | $15.21 | $18.14 | $17.95 |
| Forklift and industrial truck operators | 10,250 | $18.86 | $23.45 | $22.32 |
| Light truck drivers | 13,820 | $17.02 | $22.01 | $21.57 |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 30,480 | $20.91 | $28.74 | $28.19 |
| Retail salespersons | 69,060 | $14.95 | $17.29 | $17.03 |
| Cashiers | 48,660 | $14.97 | $16.79 | $15.81 |
| Customer service representatives | 68,930 | $17.00 | $22.31 | $21.53 |
| Home health and personal care aides | 57,940 | $14.91 | $17.75 | $17.21 |
| Nursing assistants | 13,550 | $17.92 | $21.77 | $20.32 |
| Medical assistants | 15,410 | $18.56 | $22.51 | $21.97 |
| Construction laborers | 29,230 | $17.68 | $22.56 | $22.66 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | 16,850 | $17.73 | $18.82 | $18.82 |
| Helpers, electricians | 930 | $19.07 | $22.39 | $20.51 |
| Electricians | 17,240 | $22.56 | $29.43 | $30.38 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | 8,070 | $18.37 | $29.41 | $29.33 |
Phoenix beats the U.S. median in most rows, and hand laborers lead by $2.26 an hour. Forty hours at $21.61 is $864.40 a week before federal and Arizona taxes. Home care ($17.75) also tops the national number, unlike in Dallas or Houston. Compare at pay benchmarks.
Local pay rules
- Now: $15.15 an hour. January 1, 2027: $15.65 (Industrial Commission of Arizona, 2027 poster, posted September 25, 2026; minimum wage by state). That raise adds $20 to a 40-hour week: $606 becomes $626.
- Tipped jobs: employers may pay up to $3.00 less, which is $12.15 now and $12.65 in January by that same $3.00 gap. Tips must still bring you to the full rate (U.S. DOL tipped table; Industrial Commission).
- City rates: Flagstaff is the only Arizona city rate on JobPin's guide. Its $18.95 for 2027 does not apply in this metro.
- Payday: at least two days a month, not more than 16 days apart (U.S. DOL table, revised January 1, 2023; pay frequency laws).
Local rights: real protections, and who enforces them
Earned paid sick time is the law here. Arizona workers build 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. At an employer with 15 or more workers, the yearly cap is 40 hours. Under 15, it is 24 hours. New hires can be asked to wait 90 calendar days before using it (Industrial Commission FAQs).
Worked example: at 40 hours a week, you reach 40 hours of sick time in 30 weeks. At $15.15, that bank is worth $606. Your employer cannot punish you for using it, and the Commission takes retaliation claims (Labor Department, read October 31, 2026).
What Arizona does not have. U.S. DOL's tables list no meal or paid rest break rule for Arizona adults (break laws). In Phoenix's heat, that matters on outdoor jobs, so ask about breaks and water before you accept. JobPin found no fair workweek law from the state or from Phoenix. Arizona's ban the box step in 2017 did not reach private employers (ban the box laws), so an application can ask.
Who to call. The Industrial Commission Labor Department handles unpaid wages, late pay, minimum wage, sick time and retaliation at (602) 542-4661. Claims generally have a 1-year limit. Wage claims top out at $12,000, per the unpaid wages guide.
Free local help
ARIZONA@WORK City of Phoenix runs these job centers, free and open to all skill levels (read October 31, 2026):
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| Center | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| West (full-service) | 3406 N. 51st Ave., Maryvale, Phoenix 85031 | (602) 495-6906 |
| South | 4635 S. Central Ave., Phoenix 85040 | (602) 495-6905 |
The West center is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. The email is arizonaatwork@phoenix.gov.
Training money. A career advisor can point you to "available funding towards approved training" for certifications in targeted occupations (ARIZONA@WORK). No dollar cap is posted, and funding is not guaranteed. Current workshops run online. For rules on who qualifies, read free job help. Live in Mesa, Chandler or Glendale? A different office may serve you. Use the CareerOneStop finder.
Getting there on Valley Metro
Valley Metro does not ask you to buy a monthly pass up front. With Smart Fare on a Copper card or the app, it stops charging at each limit (Valley Metro, read October 31, 2026):
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| Local bus and light rail | Full | Reduced |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ride | $2 | $1 |
| Daily maximum | $4 | $2 |
| Weekly maximum | $20 | $10 |
| Calendar month maximum | $64 | $32 |
Express and RAPID routes cap at $104 a month, or $48 reduced. Tap every time you board.
Two rides a day for 22 workdays would be $88. The cap stops you at $64, a saving of $24, and it equals 3 hours of pay at $21.61.
Who gets reduced fare: youth ages 6 to 18, adults 65 and older, people with disabilities, and Medicare holders. Income is not a category. The reduced card's $4 fee is waived for now. Separately, nonprofits and agencies serving people experiencing homelessness can buy half-price passes through the Social Services Fare Program for rides to interviews and work, so ask your caseworker. You cannot apply for it yourself.
To a job center: Route 51 runs on 51st Avenue to the West center, and Route 0 on Central Avenue to the South center. Confirm your stop on Valley Metro's route pages.
Who employs people here
BLS figures for the metro, with September preliminary (Economy at a Glance, extracted October 30, 2026). Unemployment was 4.2%.
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| Sector | Jobs, September 2026 | Change over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 2,475,200 | +1.0% |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 479,100 | +1.0% |
| Education and health services | 431,500 | +3.0% |
| Professional and business services | 388,300 | +2.2% |
| Government | 257,900 | -1.1% |
| Leisure and hospitality | 255,900 | -1.8% |
| Construction | 183,900 | +3.3% |
| Manufacturing | 147,500 | -0.3% |
Education and health added 3.0%, and construction 3.3%. Leisure and hospitality lost 1.8%, which matters if you plan on resort work. Sky Harbor says it supports more than 47,000 regional jobs, "making it the largest employer in Arizona" (Phoenix Sky Harbor, August 2026). TSMC says more than 3,500 people work at TSMC Arizona in Phoenix (TSMC, read October 31, 2026), and its career site lists technician roles. Many need technical training.
Job fairs and hiring events
Phoenix Career Fair: Wednesday, December 2, 11:30 AM, Holiday Inn Phoenix Airport North. It is the one upcoming date on JobPin's Phoenix fair hub on October 31, 2026. Confirm with the organizer. The hub also records Sky Harbor job fairs on June 2 and August 4 at the 44th Street PHX Sky Train Station, but no future date. Prepare with how to get hired at a job fair.
A plan for this week
- Monday, November 2: call (602) 495-6906. Ask if a career advisor can see you and whether you might qualify for training funds.
- Tuesday: ride Route 51 to the West center with your ID and work history. Get a Copper card or set up the app first, so the caps count from your first tap.
- Wednesday: apply to five jobs from the table, choosing roles where the 10th percentile beats your current pay. Note anything below $15.15. It is likely old or wrong.
- Thursday: at each interview, ask how sick time is tracked on the pay stub and when breaks happen on hot days.
- Friday: save the December 2 fair and print resumes. If an old job shorted you, call (602) 542-4661. The clock is about 1 year.
Current openings
Next steps on JobPin: warehouse jobs in Phoenix, general labor jobs and remote jobs.
Source-linked openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
A rate under Arizona's minimum on a Phoenix posting is a warning sign, unless the job is tipped. Open the source link on JobPin, match the address on the employer's own site, and skip anything that asks you to pay first. Our process: how JobPin verifies listings.
How JobPin dates and sources listings: How JobPin verifies listings and events. Report a listing.