Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $42,460
- Median hourly wage: $20.41
- Total employment: 1,130 people (11.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Santa Cruz
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 Santa Cruz. 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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DuxX // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $41,750
- Median hourly wage: $20.07
- Total employment: 420 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $41,340
- Median hourly wage: $19.88
- Total employment: 420 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $41,170
- Median hourly wage: $19.79
- Total employment: 1,160 people (11.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $41,060
- Median hourly wage: $19.74
- Total employment: 160 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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NIKCOA // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Medical transcriptionists
- Median annual wage: $41,040
- Median hourly wage: $19.73
- Total employment: Not available
New Africa // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,650
- Median hourly wage: $19.54
- Total employment: 660 people (6.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $40,560
- Median hourly wage: $19.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAYA LAB // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Forest and conservation technicians
- Median annual wage: $40,390
- Median hourly wage: $19.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $39,790
- Median hourly wage: $19.13
- Total employment: 150 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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zhu difeng // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $39,600
- Median hourly wage: $19.04
- Total employment: 80 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $39,320
- Median hourly wage: $18.91
- Total employment: 170 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,910
- Median hourly wage: $18.71
- Total employment: 120 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $38,630
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 1,480 people (14.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $38,500
- Median hourly wage: $18.51
- Total employment: 100 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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worradirek // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $38,460
- Median hourly wage: $18.49
- Total employment: 90 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $38,330
- Median hourly wage: $18.43
- Total employment: 320 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $38,230
- Median hourly wage: $18.38
- Total employment: 300 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $37,860
- Median hourly wage: $18.20
- Total employment: 1,400 people (14.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,690
- Median hourly wage: $18.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $37,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 780 people (7.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $37,650
- Median hourly wage: $18.10
- Total employment: 210 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $37,520
- Median hourly wage: $18.04
- Total employment: 250 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $37,500
- Median hourly wage: $18.03
- Total employment: 440 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $37,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.98
- Total employment: 250 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $37,310
- Median hourly wage: $17.94
- Total employment: Not available
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $37,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.93
- Total employment: 3,050 people (30.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.84
- Total employment: 700 people (7.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,020
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 310 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.79
- Total employment: 670 people (6.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 210 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 2,320 people (23.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $36,900
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 220 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,860
- Median hourly wage: $17.72
- Total employment: 170 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.68
- Total employment: 120 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.63
- Total employment: 2,540 people (25.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $36,520
- Median hourly wage: $17.56
- Total employment: 500 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,170
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 410 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $35,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 410 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santypan // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 590 people (5.99 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: $35,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 320 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $35,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 1,800 people (18.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 120 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $35,030
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 500 people (5.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $35,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.84
- Total employment: 170 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,790
- Median hourly wage: $16.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 650 people (6.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Visual Intermezzo // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Photographic process workers and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $33,850
- Median hourly wage: $16.27
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $33,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.09
- Total employment: 4,230 people (42.84 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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