Looking for a job? These jobs pay a living wage and have minimal requirements in Whatcom
Finding a job with minimal requirements that pays enough for you and your family to live off of can be difficult. When you factor in the rising costs of local grocery prices, housing, utilities and other necessities, jobs that pay a low wage cannot cover basic living expenses.
And now, the living wage for Whatcom County has increased.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated the living wage by county by evaluating typical expenses to find how much an individual must make hourly to support themselves, or multiple children or dependents in a full-time job.
MIT records living wages for individuals, couples and families that vary based on the number of dependents, number of children and the number of adults who are working. The living wages have also increased compared to last month’s calculations, according to previous reporting in The Bellingham Herald:
▪ Whatcom County’s living wage for an individual with no dependents is $17.47 per hour, working full time, an increase from last month’s living wage of $16.95 per hour.
▪ For a household with two adults, no children, and only one individual working, a living wage in Whatcom County is $27.62 per hour, an increase from $25.43 per hour last month.
▪ For a household with two adults, no children and both adults working, the living wage is $13.81 per hour, and increase from $12.71 per hour last month.
▪ For a household with two adults, one child, and only one adult working, the living wage is $34.53 per hour, almost a $4 increase compared to last month. If this household had two children the living wage would be $39.51 an hour.
▪ For a household with two adults and two children and both adults working, the living wage is $25.98 per hour, an increase from $23.54 an hour last month. If the family had three children, both individuals would need to make $32.10 per hour, about a $3 increase from last month.
As Washington state’s minimum wage is $15.74 per hour, this amount is not considered a living wage unless you have multiple adults working in a household with no dependents.
The Bellingham Herald has searched the job website Indeed and local Craiglist listings to find positions with minimal requirements that are available as of Tuesday, Feb. 14 that advertise wages at or above living wages:
▪ Bellingham, WA.
▪ Full-time or part-time.
▪ $15.74 - $17.00 per hour with tips.
▪ Requirements: minimum of one year of restaurant experience.
Mail carrier for United States Postal Service
▪ Multiple cities in Whatcom County.
▪ Full-time or part-time.
▪ $19 - $33 per hour with benefits available.
▪ No requirements listed.
Line cook at Bellingham Cider Company
▪ Bellingham, WA.
▪ Full-time or part-time.
▪ $22-$25 per hour with tips, and with benefits after one year of full-time employment.
▪ Requirements: restaurant experience.
▪ Bellingham, WA.
▪ Full-time.
▪ $20-$23.69 per hour with benefits.
▪ Requirements: high school diploma or equivalent.
