Food preparation worker pay in Las Cruces, NM at a glance
Median salary
$32,360$15.56 per hour · $2,697 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Las Cruces, NM after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Las Cruces, NM, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Las Cruces, NM metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (NM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.73/hr | $2,379 | $28,550 | $24,843 |
| 25th percentile | $14.60/hr | $2,531 | $30,370 | $26,238 |
| MedianMedian | $15.56/hr | $2,697 | $32,360 | $27,764 |
| 75th percentile | $16.67/hr | $2,890 | $34,680 | $29,519 |
| 90th percentile | $16.94/hr | $2,936 | $35,230 | $29,934 |
Is $32,360 a good salary in Las Cruces, NM?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in New Mexico and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Las Cruces, NM: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Las Cruces, NM?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Las Cruces, NM metro area was $32,360 in May 2025, about $2,697 a month or $15.56 an hour. Statewide, the New Mexico median for this job is $33,370, so the metro pays 3% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Las Cruces, NM?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Las Cruces, NM was $15.56 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.73 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.94.
How many food preparation workers work in Las Cruces, NM?
BLS estimated 830 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 10.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.81 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Las Cruces, NM?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Las Cruces, NM run from $28,550 at the 10th percentile to $30,370 at the 25th, $34,680 at the 75th, and $35,230 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Las Cruces, NM?
On a median gross salary of $32,360, an estimated $27,764 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,068 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Mexico in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,596 (an effective rate of 14.2%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Las Cruces, NM?
On the median annual salary of $32,360, gross monthly income is $2,697. After federal, FICA, and New Mexico state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,314 per month (or $1,068 every two weeks).
Is $32,360 a good salary in Las Cruces, NM?
At $32,360, the median salary for food preparation workers is 56.9% of the Las Cruces, NM median household income ($56,848). It is 23% below the $42,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.2, so prices here run 9.8% below the U.S. average.