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1 / 50#50. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $47,140
- Median hourly wage: $22.66
- Total employment: 80 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Walla Walla
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 Walla Walla. 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $46,910
- Median hourly wage: $22.55
- Total employment: 210 people (8.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $46,850
- Median hourly wage: $22.53
- Total employment: 290 people (11.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $46,740
- Median hourly wage: $22.47
- Total employment: 160 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Milkovasa // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $46,670
- Median hourly wage: $22.44
- Total employment: 130 people (4.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $46,300
- Median hourly wage: $22.26
- Total employment: 180 people (6.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $46,140
- Median hourly wage: $22.19
- Total employment: 1,180 people (46.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $45,940
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 90 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $45,260
- Median hourly wage: $21.76
- Total employment: 80 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $45,240
- Median hourly wage: $21.75
- Total employment: 120 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $44,670
- Median hourly wage: $21.48
- Total employment: 70 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $44,590
- Median hourly wage: $21.44
- Total employment: 320 people (12.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $44,290
- Median hourly wage: $21.29
- Total employment: 120 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $44,000
- Median hourly wage: $21.16
- Total employment: 110 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $43,840
- Median hourly wage: $21.08
- Total employment: 300 people (11.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $43,770
- Median hourly wage: $21.04
- Total employment: 30 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $43,490
- Median hourly wage: $20.91
- Total employment: 90 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $42,800
- Median hourly wage: $20.58
- Total employment: 100 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $42,750
- Median hourly wage: $20.55
- Total employment: 90 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $42,090
- Median hourly wage: $20.24
- Total employment: 50 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $41,710
- Median hourly wage: $20.05
- Total employment: 110 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $40,350
- Median hourly wage: $19.40
- Total employment: 200 people (7.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $40,220
- Median hourly wage: $19.34
- Total employment: 40 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $40,040
- Median hourly wage: $19.25
- Total employment: 160 people (6.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $39,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (12.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DSBfoto // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $39,560
- Median hourly wage: $19.02
- Total employment: 420 people (16.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $38,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $38,790
- Median hourly wage: $18.65
- Total employment: 420 people (16.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $38,240
- Median hourly wage: $18.39
- Total employment: 40 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $38,020
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 70 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Median annual wage: $37,990
- Median hourly wage: $18.26
- Total employment: 240 people (9.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $37,960
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 40 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 290 people (11.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $35,960
- Median hourly wage: $17.29
- Total employment: 280 people (10.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $35,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.17
- Total employment: 140 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#14. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 560 people (21.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 60 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 30 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,350
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 100 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,150
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 50 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aboutsung // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $35,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 40 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,970
- Median hourly wage: $16.81
- Total employment: 80 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,950
- Median hourly wage: $16.80
- Total employment: 60 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.64
- Total employment: 50 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $34,580
- Median hourly wage: $16.62
- Total employment: 160 people (6.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $34,560
- Median hourly wage: $16.61
- Total employment: 550 people (21.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $34,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 820 people (32.0 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: $34,140
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 60 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $34,100
- Median hourly wage: $16.39
- Total employment: 50 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $33,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.28
- Total employment: 40 people (1.71 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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