LightField Studios // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $43,740
- Median hourly wage: $21.03
- Total employment: 380 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Vallejo
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 Vallejo. 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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UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $43,180
- Median hourly wage: $20.76
- Total employment: 30 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $42,760
- Median hourly wage: $20.56
- Total employment: 900 people (6.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $41,760
- Median hourly wage: $20.08
- Total employment: 990 people (6.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $41,220
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Agricultural equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $41,140
- Median hourly wage: $19.78
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $41,090
- Median hourly wage: $19.75
- Total employment: 260 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $41,030
- Median hourly wage: $19.73
- Total employment: 300 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $40,220
- Median hourly wage: $19.34
- Total employment: 230 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $40,110
- Median hourly wage: $19.29
- Total employment: 2,650 people (18.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Tutors
- Median annual wage: $40,090
- Median hourly wage: $19.27
- Total employment: 300 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $39,960
- Median hourly wage: $19.21
- Total employment: 170 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $39,720
- Median hourly wage: $19.09
- Total employment: 160 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $39,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.97
- Total employment: 1,590 people (11.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
evgenii mitroshin // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Median annual wage: $39,190
- Median hourly wage: $18.84
- Total employment: 120 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food processing workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $39,180
- Median hourly wage: $18.84
- Total employment: 130 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $39,110
- Median hourly wage: $18.80
- Total employment: 1,250 people (8.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $39,040
- Median hourly wage: $18.77
- Total employment: 180 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roschetzky Photography // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $38,990
- Median hourly wage: $18.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $38,940
- Median hourly wage: $18.72
- Total employment: 110 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Africa Studio // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $38,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.65
- Total employment: 350 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suteren // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Dietetic technicians
- Median annual wage: $38,530
- Median hourly wage: $18.52
- Total employment: 70 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
shocky // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Median annual wage: $38,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $38,180
- Median hourly wage: $18.36
- Total employment: Not available
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $37,930
- Median hourly wage: $18.24
- Total employment: 500 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jason Person // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $37,890
- Median hourly wage: $18.22
- Total employment: 310 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.17
- Total employment: 760 people (5.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $37,740
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 100 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $37,730
- Median hourly wage: $18.14
- Total employment: 550 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Material moving workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $37,700
- Median hourly wage: $18.12
- Total employment: 90 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 4,550 people (31.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $37,450
- Median hourly wage: $18.01
- Total employment: 3,940 people (27.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $37,440
- Median hourly wage: $18.00
- Total employment: 260 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $37,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.99
- Total employment: 250 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,290
- Median hourly wage: $17.93
- Total employment: 510 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $37,280
- Median hourly wage: $17.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $37,240
- Median hourly wage: $17.90
- Total employment: 3,660 people (25.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Helpers--roofers
- Median annual wage: $37,120
- Median hourly wage: $17.84
- Total employment: Not available
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $37,010
- Median hourly wage: $17.79
- Total employment: 750 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
40 / 50#10. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 520 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 160 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $36,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.63
- Total employment: 560 people (3.94 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: $36,340
- Median hourly wage: $17.47
- Total employment: 150 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $36,180
- Median hourly wage: $17.39
- Total employment: 1,810 people (12.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $36,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.38
- Total employment: 470 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Finist4 // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Median annual wage: $36,100
- Median hourly wage: $17.36
- Total employment: 460 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $35,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.30
- Total employment: 280 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $35,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 290 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $35,680
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 510 people (3.59 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: $33,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 7,430 people (51.98 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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