Health Education Specialists Salary
In Las Cruces, NM, health education specialists earn $55,840 at the median, or about $26.85 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.21), which stretches that salary to about $61,900 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,042/month, or 28.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $56K get you in Las Cruces?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Las Cruces’s Regional Price Parity (90.21). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in Las Cruces
Pay for health education specialists in Las Cruces runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,042/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for health education specialists in metros near Las Cruces, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $64K | $67K |
| Santa Fe | $59K | $60K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $64K | $62K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $75K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Las Cruces, NM
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Health Education Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $104K | +63% | 2,220 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +61% | 680 |
| Georgia | $99K | +55% | 3,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | +26% | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +22% | 1,250 |
| Washington | $77K | +21% | 1,750 |
| Iowa | $76K | +18% | 540 |
| Oregon | $76K | +18% | 840 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +18% | 150 |
| Colorado | $74K | +16% | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +16% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +15% | 1,420 |
| Alaska | $72K | +12% | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | +9% | 250 |
| Vermont | $68K | +6% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +4% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +2% | 760 |
| Alabama | $65K | +2% | 540 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $65K | +1% | 470 |
| Virginia | $64K | -0% | 690 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 190 |
| California | $64K | -1% | 12,520 |
| Arizona | $63K | -1% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $63K | -1% | 340 |
| Kansas | $63K | -2% | 520 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -2% | 400 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -2% | 90 |
| New York | $63K | -2% | 4,150 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -3% | 820 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -3% | 200 |
| Nevada | $62K | -3% | 270 |
| Idaho | $61K | -4% | 370 |
| Illinois | $60K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $60K | -7% | 490 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 200 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 5,320 |
| Maine | $58K | -9% | 490 |
| Indiana | $58K | -9% | 1,380 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -9% | 2,110 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -9% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $58K | -10% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | -10% | 2,420 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $57K | -11% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $57K | -11% | 230 |
| Michigan | $56K | -12% | 1,480 |
| Montana | $51K | -20% | 240 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -20% | 410 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -23% | 490 |
| Florida | $46K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Las Cruces numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Las Cruces?
Yes — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,042/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Las Cruces?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,557/month. At HUD’s $1,042/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is health education specialist a high-paying job in Las Cruces?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $56K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Las Cruces compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Las Cruces pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Las Cruces, NM?
The median is $55,840 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,610, and experienced health education specialists can clear $81,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Las Cruces?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,764/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,042/month, which eats 27.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a health education specialists salary go in Las Cruces?
Las Cruces has a Regional Price Parity of 90.21 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median health education specialists salary is worth about $61,900 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do health education specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.