Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $43,220
- Median hourly wage: $20.78
- Total employment: 220 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Santa Rosa
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 Rosa. 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: $43,190
- Median hourly wage: $20.76
- Total employment: 880 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $43,170
- Median hourly wage: $20.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $42,730
- Median hourly wage: $20.54
- Total employment: 590 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Rehabilitation counselors
- Median annual wage: $42,570
- Median hourly wage: $20.47
- Total employment: 130 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $42,430
- Median hourly wage: $20.40
- Total employment: 400 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $42,390
- Median hourly wage: $20.38
- Total employment: 110 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Median annual wage: $42,180
- Median hourly wage: $20.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $41,830
- Median hourly wage: $20.11
- Total employment: 2,750 people (13.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $40,820
- Median hourly wage: $19.62
- Total employment: 370 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $40,810
- Median hourly wage: $19.62
- Total employment: 1,340 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $40,790
- Median hourly wage: $19.61
- Total employment: 120 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $40,750
- Median hourly wage: $19.59
- Total employment: 90 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
- Median annual wage: $39,680
- Median hourly wage: $19.08
- Total employment: 110 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $39,650
- Median hourly wage: $19.06
- Total employment: 1,720 people (8.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Motortion Films // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Personal care and service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $39,490
- Median hourly wage: $18.98
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $39,460
- Median hourly wage: $18.97
- Total employment: 610 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $39,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.97
- Total employment: 60 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $39,390
- Median hourly wage: $18.94
- Total employment: 570 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $39,260
- Median hourly wage: $18.88
- Total employment: 1,120 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $38,800
- Median hourly wage: $18.65
- Total employment: 290 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $38,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.65
- Total employment: 830 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $38,770
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 590 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $38,760
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 5,120 people (24.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $38,630
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 260 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santypan // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $38,620
- Median hourly wage: $18.57
- Total employment: 1,170 people (5.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Baggage porters and bellhops
- Median annual wage: $38,460
- Median hourly wage: $18.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $38,380
- Median hourly wage: $18.45
- Total employment: 230 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $38,360
- Median hourly wage: $18.44
- Total employment: 220 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $38,230
- Median hourly wage: $18.38
- Total employment: 3,530 people (17.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $38,210
- Median hourly wage: $18.37
- Total employment: 630 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $38,190
- Median hourly wage: $18.36
- Total employment: 110 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $38,160
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: 860 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $38,140
- Median hourly wage: $18.34
- Total employment: 410 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $38,090
- Median hourly wage: $18.31
- Total employment: 5,160 people (25.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
36 / 50#14. Cooks, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,980
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 120 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $37,980
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 1,320 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Social science research assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,830
- Median hourly wage: $18.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $37,780
- Median hourly wage: $18.16
- Total employment: 5,210 people (25.44 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: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 330 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $37,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 220 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $37,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 60 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $37,050
- Median hourly wage: $17.81
- Total employment: 80 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Finist4 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $36,910
- Median hourly wage: $17.75
- Total employment: 350 people (1.69 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: $36,630
- Median hourly wage: $17.61
- Total employment: 720 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 690 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $36,310
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 4,050 people (19.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $36,080
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 1,180 people (5.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 180 people (0.9 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: $34,900
- Median hourly wage: $16.78
- Total employment: 8,980 people (43.82 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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