Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Las Cruces
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,580 a year or less, while the top 10% make $38,410 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Las Cruces earn between $28,130 and $34,510.
- $28K10th
- $28K25th
- $28KMedian
- $35K75th
- $38K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,630 | $2,552 | $14.73 |
| Median | $28,390 | $2,366 | $13.65 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,130 | $2,344 | $13.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,510 | $2,876 | $16.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Las Cruces vs. New Mexico and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Las Cruces earn 4% less than the New Mexico average ($32,010) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces | $30,630 | $28,390 | $27,580 | $38,410 | 180 |
| New Mexico | $32,010 | $30,190 | $27,860 | $37,550 | 1,800 |
| United States | $32,390 | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Fast Food salary after taxes in Las Cruces
On the average salary of $30,630, a single filer in Las Cruces takes home about $26,420 a year, or $2,202 a month and $1,016 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Las Cruces a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Las Cruces area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.2), so the average $30,630 buys what about $33,953 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Las Cruces ($42,070). A typical home costs $288,339, or 9.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other New Mexico cities
Las Cruces ranks 3rd of 4 New Mexico metro areas for this job; Santa Fe pays the most ($37,550).
- Santa Fe$37,550
- Albuquerque$32,830
- Las Cruces$30,630
- Farmington$29,380
Highest-paying cities for cooks, fast food
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($46,590).
- San Francisco, CA$46,590
- San Jose, CA$46,530
- Vallejo, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,910
- Seattle, WA$43,770
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Cooks, Fast Food salary in Las Cruces: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Las Cruces?
$14.72 an hour on average, and $13.65 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Las Cruces?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,580 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,130, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Las Cruces?
About $26,420 a year ($2,202 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,630.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Las Cruces than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. average for this job ($32,390).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2011; area Las Cruces, NM (29740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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