StateRates

Las Cruces salaries

The median worker in the Las Cruces, NM metro area earned $38,620 a year in 2024, about $18.57 an hour. That ranks #366 of the 391 metro areas published here, 22% below the national median.

New Mexico

Median pay $38,620 $18.57 per hour
Vs national -22% U.S. $49,500
Workers 77,990 wage and salary
Metro rank #366 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Las Cruces pays 15.8% less than New Mexico as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 9.45× 530 $104,330
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 4.4× 580 $26,420
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders 3.09× 600 $38,190
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 2.85× 650 $33,150
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 2.83× 5,710 $25,720
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2.64× 2,320 $39,860
Food Preparation Workers 2.58× 1,160 $31,390
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 2.45× 600 $37,100
Medical Assistants 2.12× 850 $36,480
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1.78× 1,260 $74,760
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1.66× 1,160 $28,960
Construction Laborers 1.55× 830 $38,520

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Las Cruces
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Managers, All Other $120,640 $58.00 320
Engineers, All Other $117,000 $56.25 230
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $107,720 $51.79 240
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $106,690 n/a 260
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $104,330 $50.16 530
Medical and Health Services Managers $99,140 $47.67 240
Software Developers $97,900 $47.07 320
Physical Therapists $90,230 $43.38 250
General and Operations Managers $86,780 $41.72 1,230
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians $81,310 $39.09 200
Registered Nurses $80,520 $38.71 1,320
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $79,750 n/a 410
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $77,190 $37.11 660
Compliance Officers $77,050 $37.04 250
Project Management Specialists $75,210 $36.16 200
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $74,760 n/a 1,260
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $73,970 n/a 640
Management Analysts $73,900 $35.53 270
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $68,640 $33.00 220
Accountants and Auditors $65,800 $31.64 510
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $63,120 $30.35 230
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $63,030 $30.30 280
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $61,600 $29.62 220
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $61,440 $29.54 390
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $59,370 $28.55 370
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $57,160 $27.48 620
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $55,670 $26.77 200
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $55,370 $26.62 210
Human Resources Specialists $55,100 $26.49 310
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $55,070 $26.48 220
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $54,780 $26.34 320
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $54,550 $26.23 310
Electricians $52,530 $25.25 330
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $51,730 $24.87 250
Computer User Support Specialists $48,800 $23.46 380
Correctional Officers and Jailers $48,510 $23.32 450
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $46,420 $22.32 280
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $46,060 $22.14 730
Firefighters $45,890 $22.06 240
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $44,830 $21.55 360
Insurance Sales Agents $44,690 $21.49 210
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $43,960 $21.13 620
Pharmacy Technicians $43,590 $20.96 230
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $43,190 $20.76 710
Social and Human Service Assistants $42,480 $20.42 350
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $41,390 $19.90 700
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $39,860 $19.17 2,320
Construction Laborers $38,520 $18.52 830
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $38,480 $18.50 700
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $38,190 $18.36 600
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $37,150 $17.86 380
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $37,100 $17.84 600
Dental Assistants $36,900 $17.74 210
Light Truck Drivers $36,550 $17.57 360
Medical Assistants $36,480 $17.54 850
Office Clerks, General $35,750 $17.19 1,210
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $35,060 $16.86 340
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $34,920 $16.79 400
Security Guards $34,790 $16.73 660
Customer Service Representatives $34,520 $16.60 1,620

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Las Cruces by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 5,710 $25,720 $12.36
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,330 $27,480 $13.21
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2,320 $39,860 $19.17
Retail Salespersons 2,030 $29,760 $14.31
Cashiers 1,720 $28,170 $13.54
Customer Service Representatives 1,620 $34,520 $16.60
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,560 $29,450 $14.16
Registered Nurses 1,320 $80,520 $38.71
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,310 $31,110 $14.96
Waiters and Waitresses 1,290 $34,120 $16.41
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1,260 $74,760 n/a
General and Operations Managers 1,230 $86,780 $41.72
Office Clerks, General 1,210 $35,750 $17.19
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1,160 $28,960 n/a
Food Preparation Workers 1,160 $31,390 $15.09
Medical Assistants 850 $36,480 $17.54
Construction Laborers 830 $38,520 $18.52
Cooks, Restaurant 800 $30,220 $14.53
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 770 $34,360 $16.52
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 730 $46,060 $22.14

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other New Mexico metro areas

Las Cruces pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Las Cruces?

The median across all occupations is $38,620, or $18.57 an hour, covering 77,990 wage and salary workers. The mean is $52,790, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Las Cruces pay more than the rest of New Mexico?

No. The metro median of $38,620 is 15.8% below the New Mexico median of $45,870. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Las Cruces?

Managers, All Other ($120,640), Engineers, All Other ($117,000), Electronics Engineers, Except Computer ($107,720). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Las Cruces unusually full of?

Detectives and Criminal Investigators, at 9.45× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.