Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in New Mexico make a median of $30,850 a year, or about $14.83 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $33,151 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 53.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $31K get you in New Mexico?
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Pay for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in New Mexico runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,119/month, which is 51% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for laundry and dry-cleaning workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level laundry and dry-cleaning workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $9K spread from bottom to top.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary by metro in New Mexico
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | $35K | +12% | 100 |
| Albuquerque | $33K | +6% | 620 |
| Farmington | $30K | -4% | 90 |
| Las Cruces | $28K | -9% | 110 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a laundry and dry-cleaning worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 51% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new laundry and dry-cleaning workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,633/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 69% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is laundry and dry-cleaning worker a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $31K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
New Mexico pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make in New Mexico?
The median is $30,850 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,210, and experienced laundry and dry-cleaning workers can clear $36,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 51% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary go in New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary is worth about $33,151 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do laundry and dry-cleaning workers 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.