Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Las Cruces, NM is $72,170/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.21), which stretches that salary to about $80,002 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,042/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $72K 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
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What this looks like in Las Cruces
Las Cruces sits well above the national pay line for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,042/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Las Cruces offers a genuinely strong financial position for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Las Cruces, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $76K | $79K |
| Farmington | $77K | $88K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $66K | $64K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $66K | $67K |
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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102K | +59% | 10,510 |
| California | $99K | +54% | 37,300 |
| New York | $95K | +47% | 38,670 |
| Connecticut | $94K | +45% | 7,920 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +44% | 2,370 |
| Massachusetts | $89K | +39% | 16,570 |
| District of Columbia | $80K | +24% | 1,540 |
| Utah | $79K | +23% | 5,960 |
| Alaska | $79K | +23% | 1,150 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +22% | 23,650 |
| Maryland | $79K | +22% | 14,530 |
| Oregon | $78K | +22% | 6,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +21% | 22,720 |
| Ohio | $77K | +20% | 30,450 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 24,770 |
| New Mexico | $75K | +17% | 4,260 |
| Vermont | $74K | +15% | 1,620 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | +11% | 3,120 |
| Hawaii | $69K | +8% | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $68K | +5% | 2,350 |
| Nevada | $66K | +3% | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $65K | +1% | 23,610 |
| Michigan | $64K | -1% | 15,420 |
| Colorado | $64K | -1% | 13,280 |
| Maine | $64K | -1% | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 18,290 |
| Texas | $63K | -2% | 80,160 |
| Minnesota | $63K | -3% | 8,890 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -3% | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -3% | 1,290 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | -4% | 14,460 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 10,000 |
| Montana | $62K | -4% | 1,980 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -5% | 8,040 |
| Idaho | $61K | -5% | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -6% | 9,750 |
| Indiana | $61K | -6% | 11,700 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -6% | 13,060 |
| Kansas | $61K | -6% | 6,230 |
| Iowa | $60K | -6% | 6,270 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 1,400 |
| Arizona | $60K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,140 |
| Missouri | $59K | -8% | 11,330 |
| Florida | $59K | -8% | 31,370 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -9% | 5,560 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -11% | 4,090 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -19% | 20,650 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -21% | 2,130 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -21% | 6,260 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -25% | 7,620 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary changes
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Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Las Cruces?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 22.1% 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Las Cruces?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,540/month. At HUD’s $1,042/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Las Cruces?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $72K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Las Cruces compare to the national average for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Las Cruces pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Las Cruces, NM?
The median is $72,170 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,000, and experienced middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $74,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Las Cruces?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,718/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,042/month, which eats 22.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $80,002 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations 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.