Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $39,320
- Median hourly wage: $18.90
- Total employment: 240 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Chico
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 Chico. 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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New Africa // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $38,930
- Median hourly wage: $18.71
- Total employment: 350 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $38,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.65
- Total employment: 1,250 people (16.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $38,710
- Median hourly wage: $18.61
- Total employment: 110 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $38,590
- Median hourly wage: $18.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $38,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 960 people (12.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $38,020
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 670 people (8.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,910
- Median hourly wage: $18.23
- Total employment: 790 people (10.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $37,770
- Median hourly wage: $18.16
- Total employment: 1,020 people (13.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $37,270
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: 380 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 80 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Median annual wage: $36,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 90 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $36,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 170 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $36,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 90 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $36,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 90 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 140 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 630 people (8.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 430 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $35,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $35,790
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 2,420 people (30.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.16
- Total employment: 410 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 120 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $35,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $35,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.08
- Total employment: 310 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#22. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 1,970 people (25.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 430 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 310 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 120 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 150 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 180 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $34,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.75
- Total employment: 100 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $34,830
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 350 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 2,010 people (25.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $34,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 70 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $34,720
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 180 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,390
- Median hourly wage: $16.53
- Total employment: 210 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,250
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 460 people (5.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Finist4 // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $34,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 120 people (1.54 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: $33,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 200 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: 80 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
44 / 50#5. Bartenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 420 people (5.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
45 / 50#5. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 110 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 310 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.19
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $33,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.14
- Total employment: 1,150 people (14.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $33,410
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 5,700 people (72.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 200 people (2.55 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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