Andrei Zveaghintev // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Gambling service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: 290 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Riverside
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 Riverside. 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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SeventyFour // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Etchers and engravers
- Median annual wage: $37,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.82
- Total employment: 100 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $37,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.81
- Total employment: 1,330 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $37,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 4,030 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 2,550 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $36,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 1,860 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Richard Thornton // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. School bus monitors
- Median annual wage: $36,690
- Median hourly wage: $17.64
- Total employment: 300 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 520 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 130 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 1,790 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DGLimages // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 890 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $36,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 51,500 people (30.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,160
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 3,640 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 2,220 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $36,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 360 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 2,180 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $35,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 1,830 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
grivet // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Gambling change persons and booth cashiers
- Median annual wage: $35,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 1,220 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $35,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.24
- Total employment: 2,340 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $35,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 410 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $35,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 1,460 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $35,750
- Median hourly wage: $17.19
- Total employment: 4,900 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 7,540 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 38,030 people (22.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 270 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $35,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 990 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
adriaticfoto // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 130 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 4,270 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $35,110
- Median hourly wage: $16.88
- Total employment: 17,370 people (10.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $35,040
- Median hourly wage: $16.85
- Total employment: 38,730 people (22.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Motortion Films // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,990
- Median hourly wage: $16.82
- Total employment: 620 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,940
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 4,170 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $34,740
- Median hourly wage: $16.70
- Total employment: 80 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cutters and trimmers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $34,570
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 660 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kelvn // Shutterstock
36 / 50#14. Passenger attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 210 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $34,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 1,290 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,490
- Median hourly wage: $16.58
- Total employment: 7,300 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,470
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 830 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Exercise physiologists
- Median annual wage: $34,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: Not available
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $34,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 21,450 people (12.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Cooks, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,310
- Median hourly wage: $16.49
- Total employment: Not available
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Agricultural equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $34,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.45
- Total employment: 900 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $34,160
- Median hourly wage: $16.42
- Total employment: 350 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 4,430 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santypan // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $34,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 6,200 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $33,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.32
- Total employment: 3,510 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $33,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 4,430 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Home health and personal care aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 90,350 people (53.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Gambling dealers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 2,580 people (1.52 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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