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Santa Fe, NM metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Santa Fe, NM metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $36,120 a year ($17.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 560 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $48,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,250 and $40,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Mexico tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,605 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Santa Fe, NM at a glance

Median salary

$36,120$17.36 per hour · $3,010 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,250$14.54/hr
25th percentile$34,490$16.58/hr
75th percentile$38,570$18.54/hr
90th percentile$40,370$19.41/hr
Jobs in this metro560Location quotient 1.58 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $48,710
Against New Mexico8% aboveStatewide median $33,370
Against the U.S.2% aboveNational median $35,320

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

Take-home payWhat $36,000 a year leaves after tax in New MexicoFederal tax, FICA and New Mexico withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $36,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $36,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation New Mexico publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about New Mexico.

Food preparation worker salary in Santa Fe, NM after taxes

$36,120
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,120
Net 85%
Fed 6%
NM 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,605After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,550Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,177Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,154 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$597 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,763 / yr
Customize deductions in full New Mexico calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Santa Fe, NM, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Santa Fe, NM metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NM)
10th percentile$14.54/hr$2,521$30,250$26,146
25th percentile$16.58/hr$2,874$34,490$29,376
MedianMedian$17.36/hr$3,010$36,120$30,605
75th percentile$18.54/hr$3,214$38,570$32,465
90th percentile$19.41/hr$3,364$40,370$33,834

Is $36,120 a good salary in Santa Fe, 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$79,071Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.81.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.7%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other New Mexico metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Santa Fe, NM. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Santa Fe, NM: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Santa Fe, NM metro area was $36,120 in May 2025, about $3,010 a month or $17.36 an hour. Statewide, the New Mexico median for this job is $33,370, so the metro pays 8% above the state.

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

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Santa Fe, NM was $17.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.54 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.41.

How many food preparation workers work in Santa Fe, NM?

BLS estimated 560 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.58 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Santa Fe, NM run from $30,250 at the 10th percentile to $34,490 at the 25th, $38,570 at the 75th, and $40,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $36,120, an estimated $30,605 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,177 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Mexico in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,515 (an effective rate of 15.3%).

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

On the median annual salary of $36,120, gross monthly income is $3,010. After federal, FICA, and New Mexico state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,550 per month (or $1,177 every two weeks).

Is $36,120 a good salary in Santa Fe, NM?

At $36,120, the median salary for food preparation workers is 45.7% of the Santa Fe, NM median household income ($79,071). It is 26% below the $48,710 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.8, so prices here run 1.2% below the U.S. average.