Albuquerque, NM metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Albuquerque, NM?

In the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,380 a year ($16.53 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,570 of these jobs there. That is 28% below the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $27,290 and $38,320; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Mexico tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,293 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Albuquerque, NM at a glance

Median salary

$34,380$16.53 per hour · $2,865 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$27,290$13.12/hr
25th percentile$29,500$14.18/hr
75th percentile$36,250$17.43/hr
90th percentile$38,320$18.42/hr
Jobs in this metro2,570Location quotient 1.11 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% belowAll-jobs median $48,060
Against New Mexico3% aboveStatewide median $33,370
Against the U.S.3% belowNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Food preparation worker salary in Albuquerque, NM after taxes

$34,380
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,380
Net 85%
Fed 6%
NM 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,293After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,441Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,127Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,946 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$511 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,630 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Albuquerque, NM, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Albuquerque, NM metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NM)
10th percentile$13.12/hr$2,274$27,290$23,853
25th percentile$14.18/hr$2,458$29,500$25,571
MedianMedian$16.53/hr$2,865$34,380$29,293
75th percentile$17.43/hr$3,021$36,250$30,703
90th percentile$18.42/hr$3,193$38,320$32,275

Is $34,380 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$70,783Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.6%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Food preparation worker pay in Albuquerque, NM: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Albuquerque, NM?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Albuquerque, NM metro area was $34,380 in May 2025, about $2,865 a month or $16.53 an hour. Statewide, the New Mexico median for this job is $33,370, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Albuquerque, NM?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Albuquerque, NM was $16.53 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.12 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.42.

How many food preparation workers work in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS estimated 2,570 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.11 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Albuquerque, NM run from $27,290 at the 10th percentile to $29,500 at the 25th, $36,250 at the 75th, and $38,320 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Albuquerque, NM?

On a median gross salary of $34,380, an estimated $29,293 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,127 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Mexico in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,087 (an effective rate of 14.8%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Albuquerque, NM?

On the median annual salary of $34,380, gross monthly income is $2,865. After federal, FICA, and New Mexico state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,441 per month (or $1,127 every two weeks).

Is $34,380 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

At $34,380, the median salary for food preparation workers is 48.6% of the Albuquerque, NM median household income ($70,783). It is 28% below the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.