Syda Productions // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $38,020
- Median hourly wage: $18.28
- Total employment: 370 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in La Crosse
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 La Crosse. 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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2 / 50#49. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $37,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leika production // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Couriers and messengers
- Median annual wage: $37,660
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $37,480
- Median hourly wage: $18.02
- Total employment: 490 people (5.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $37,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.89
- Total employment: 280 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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guruXOX // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Producers and directors
- Median annual wage: $37,150
- Median hourly wage: $17.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LuckView // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 260 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $36,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 130 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $36,980
- Median hourly wage: $17.78
- Total employment: 110 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Library technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 100 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $36,510
- Median hourly wage: $17.55
- Total employment: 900 people (10.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Goldsithney // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $36,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,390
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 1,440 people (17.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $36,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 830 people (9.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Sewing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $36,240
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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worradirek // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $36,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $35,920
- Median hourly wage: $17.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $35,870
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 150 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
zhu difeng // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Median annual wage: $35,770
- Median hourly wage: $17.20
- Total employment: 100 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
encierro // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
- Median annual wage: $35,660
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $35,590
- Median hourly wage: $17.11
- Total employment: 390 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
22 / 50#28. Home health and personal care aides (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 2,020 people (24.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Automotive and watercraft service attendants (tie)
- Median annual wage: $35,430
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 150 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $35,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 30 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 240 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $34,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 200 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,330
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 280 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,190
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 170 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $34,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.35
- Total employment: 480 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $33,610
- Median hourly wage: $16.16
- Total employment: 2,130 people (25.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 240 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $33,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.92
- Total employment: 720 people (8.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $32,530
- Median hourly wage: $15.64
- Total employment: 200 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $30,890
- Median hourly wage: $14.85
- Total employment: 1,260 people (15.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,820
- Median hourly wage: $14.82
- Total employment: 70 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $30,400
- Median hourly wage: $14.62
- Total employment: 2,310 people (27.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $29,630
- Median hourly wage: $14.25
- Total employment: 160 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 210 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,960
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 1,410 people (16.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $28,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 260 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.79
- Total employment: Not available
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 1,700 people (20.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $27,810
- Median hourly wage: $13.37
- Total employment: 110 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,690
- Median hourly wage: $13.31
- Total employment: 310 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jason Person // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $27,210
- Median hourly wage: $13.08
- Total employment: 90 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $26,660
- Median hourly wage: $12.82
- Total employment: 220 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $25,560
- Median hourly wage: $12.29
- Total employment: 230 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $23,850
- Median hourly wage: $11.47
- Total employment: 1,180 people (14.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $22,350
- Median hourly wage: $10.74
- Total employment: 170 people (2.08 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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