Lowest-paying jobs in Oxnard

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 Oxnard. 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.

Gansstock // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Grinding and polishing workers, hand

- Median annual wage: $38,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.48
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stoyan Yotov // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Coil winders, tapers, and finishers

- Median annual wage: $38,370
- Median hourly wage: $18.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Sewing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $38,230
- Median hourly wage: $18.38
- Total employment: 190 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers

- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: 210 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Mirnes // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $38,130
- Median hourly wage: $18.33
- Total employment: 100 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

encierro // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals

- Median annual wage: $38,020
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 190 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $37,980
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 300 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Stockers and order fillers

- Median annual wage: $37,730
- Median hourly wage: $18.14
- Total employment: 4,660 people (14.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $37,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 760 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $37,610
- Median hourly wage: $18.08
- Total employment: 700 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $37,560
- Median hourly wage: $18.06
- Total employment: 600 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Demonstrators and product promoters

- Median annual wage: $37,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 180 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#37. Maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)

- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 1,640 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kanemme6 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Tire repairers and changers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 220 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NIKCOA // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Medical transcriptionists

- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Oxnard

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $36,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 380 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $36,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 9,180 people (28.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Material moving workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $36,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 170 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitreel // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Food batchmakers

- Median annual wage: $36,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.59
- Total employment: 180 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $36,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 1,800 people (5.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $36,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 900 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $36,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.48
- Total employment: 350 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

- Median annual wage: $36,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.48
- Total employment: 4,990 people (15.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation

- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: Not available

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#25. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 610 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Coat drives near Oxnard

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Cooks, fast food (tie)

- Median annual wage: $36,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.33
- Total employment: 2,770 people (8.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $35,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 270 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $35,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 760 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $35,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.23
- Total employment: 7,990 people (24.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Skincare specialists

- Median annual wage: $35,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 300 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated ice cream shops in Oxnard by diners

Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials

- Median annual wage: $35,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $35,600
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 560 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 7,620 people (23.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Sheremeta // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants

- Median annual wage: $35,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $35,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 1,330 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Recently opened restaurants in the Oxnard area

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Physical therapist aides

- Median annual wage: $35,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: 240 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#13. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials (tie)

- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Packers and packagers, hand (tie)

- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 2,090 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

shocky // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers

- Median annual wage: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 170 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 490 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Oxnard

Motortion Films // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Personal care and service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $34,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 1,260 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 80 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Food processing workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $34,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 190 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $34,300
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: 860 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#4. Waiters and waitresses (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 4,850 people (15.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Manicurists and pedicurists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $34,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 650 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $34,050
- Median hourly wage: $16.37
- Total employment: 800 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.34
- Total employment: 1,470 people (4.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)