Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $37,730
- Median hourly wage: $18.14
- Total employment: 40 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Sierra Vista
Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.
However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.
With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.
Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.
It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Sierra Vista. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $37,540
- Median hourly wage: $18.05
- Total employment: 120 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $37,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.97
- Total employment: 230 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.89
- Total employment: 180 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $36,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 300 people (8.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $36,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 40 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $36,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 150 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,700
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 40 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 80 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 130 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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hedgehog94 // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Pest control workers
- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 40 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $36,310
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 50 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 50 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 110 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 120 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 650 people (19.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 280 people (8.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 80 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 50 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $35,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.93
- Total employment: 50 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 240 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 40 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carlovis // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Tour and travel guides
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 40 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 60 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.66
- Total employment: 530 people (15.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $34,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 80 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $34,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 580 people (17.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 130 people (3.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 390 people (11.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 150 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $33,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 360 people (10.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $33,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.08
- Total employment: 60 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 90 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $33,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.03
- Total employment: 30 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $32,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 60 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $32,860
- Median hourly wage: $15.80
- Total employment: 1,010 people (29.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $32,810
- Median hourly wage: $15.78
- Total employment: 180 people (5.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $31,700
- Median hourly wage: $15.24
- Total employment: 190 people (5.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $31,490
- Median hourly wage: $15.14
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $31,370
- Median hourly wage: $15.08
- Total employment: 160 people (4.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,260
- Median hourly wage: $15.03
- Total employment: 380 people (11.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $31,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 80 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $31,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 490 people (14.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.84
- Total employment: 100 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,480
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 1,180 people (34.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $30,330
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 30 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.57
- Total employment: 110 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,960
- Median hourly wage: $14.40
- Total employment: 300 people (8.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 80 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,850
- Median hourly wage: $14.35
- Total employment: 830 people (24.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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