Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $38,860
- Median hourly wage: $18.68
- Total employment: 170 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Santa Maria
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 Maria. 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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Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $38,770
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 2,190 people (10.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $38,750
- Median hourly wage: $18.63
- Total employment: 290 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $38,550
- Median hourly wage: $18.53
- Total employment: 780 people (3.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $38,340
- Median hourly wage: $18.43
- Total employment: 110 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Robert Przybysz // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Median annual wage: $38,300
- Median hourly wage: $18.41
- Total employment: 70 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Median annual wage: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,610
- Median hourly wage: $18.08
- Total employment: 350 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $37,600
- Median hourly wage: $18.08
- Total employment: 360 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $37,550
- Median hourly wage: $18.06
- Total employment: 2,890 people (14.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#39. Maids and housekeeping cleaners (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,530
- Median hourly wage: $18.04
- Total employment: 1,800 people (8.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Stockers and order fillers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,530
- Median hourly wage: $18.04
- Total employment: 2,440 people (12.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
13 / 50#37. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 1,390 people (6.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.88
- Total employment: 650 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kelvn // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Passenger attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,130
- Median hourly wage: $17.85
- Total employment: 640 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $37,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.82
- Total employment: 340 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $37,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.79
- Total employment: 1,610 people (7.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $36,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.77
- Total employment: 5,870 people (29.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 360 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $36,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $36,850
- Median hourly wage: $17.72
- Total employment: 160 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $36,830
- Median hourly wage: $17.71
- Total employment: 400 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $36,720
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 11,720 people (58.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,700
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 390 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitreel // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $36,560
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $36,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 4,160 people (20.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 360 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,260
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
30 / 50#20. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 1,200 people (5.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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shocky // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $36,230
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 440 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $36,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 100 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 910 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
35 / 50#15. Baggage porters and bellhops (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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encierro // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,190
- Median hourly wage: $17.40
- Total employment: 170 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 440 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $35,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 4,420 people (21.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $35,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.07
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BearFotos // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Median annual wage: $35,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 130 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $34,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 650 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 310 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $34,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 190 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $34,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.71
- Total employment: 1,220 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 670 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $34,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 3,710 people (18.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 130 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $34,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 1,440 people (7.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $33,540
- Median hourly wage: $16.13
- Total employment: 5,710 people (28.3 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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