How much do Animal Caretakers make in Las Cruces, NM?

Percentile spread

For Animal Caretakers, the published 10th percentile is $26,830 and the 90th percentile is $36,810. The difference is $9,980, which is 33.1% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $27,170 to the 75th at $35,100, covers $7,930.

The mean annual wage is $32,710, which sits above the median of $30,160. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Las Cruces, NM median is 14.7% lower than the national median of $35,360 for Animal Caretakers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $33,432, which is 5.5% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 10.2% lower than the New Mexico median of $33,570.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Las Cruces, NM is 90.212, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $30,160 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Animal Caretakers at $33,432 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

3 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Animal Caretakers. Las Cruces, NM ranks 4th of 4 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• El Paso, TX is 96 miles away, with a median of $31,190 and employment of 520. That median is 3.4% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $34,689, against $33,432 here.
• Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ is 176 miles away, with a median of $35,260 and employment of 80. That median is 16.9% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $39,510, against $33,432 here.
• Albuquerque, NM is 193 miles away, with a median of $33,080 and employment of 890. That median is 9.7% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $34,622, against $33,432 here.

Employment share

Animal Caretakers accounts for 0.20% of wage-and-salary employment in Las Cruces, NM (160 of 80,000). Nationally the occupation is 0.17% of employment (266,910 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.17 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.