Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $39,070
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,060 people (8.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in San Luis Obispo
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 San Luis Obispo. 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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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,890
- Median hourly wage: $18.70
- Total employment: 270 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Concierges
- Median annual wage: $38,860
- Median hourly wage: $18.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $38,700
- Median hourly wage: $18.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $38,620
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 1,170 people (9.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $38,600
- Median hourly wage: $18.56
- Total employment: 1,670 people (13.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $38,340
- Median hourly wage: $18.43
- Total employment: 80 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $38,280
- Median hourly wage: $18.40
- Total employment: 370 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $38,000
- Median hourly wage: $18.27
- Total employment: 210 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,880
- Median hourly wage: $18.21
- Total employment: 1,610 people (13.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $37,820
- Median hourly wage: $18.19
- Total employment: 580 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $37,530
- Median hourly wage: $18.05
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $37,510
- Median hourly wage: $18.03
- Total employment: 3,190 people (26.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $37,490
- Median hourly wage: $18.03
- Total employment: 90 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $37,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 150 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 300 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $37,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 290 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $37,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $37,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 3,330 people (27.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 240 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $36,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 720 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $36,900
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 3,450 people (28.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $36,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 810 people (6.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.73
- Total employment: 250 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 1,420 people (11.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 320 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 90 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Motortion Films // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $36,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 1,000 people (8.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,380
- Median hourly wage: $17.49
- Total employment: 140 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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encierro // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 90 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $35,970
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 3,030 people (25.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $35,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 200 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $35,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 760 people (6.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $35,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.23
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,580
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 390 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $35,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 70 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,290
- Median hourly wage: $16.97
- Total employment: 220 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $35,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.95
- Total employment: 100 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $35,140
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 300 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $34,800
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 750 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 590 people (4.91 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: $34,630
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 540 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $34,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 2,860 people (23.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 1,020 people (8.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 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: $33,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.02
- Total employment: 3,640 people (30.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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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