Social and Human Service Assistants Salary
The median pay for a social and human service assistants in Las Cruces, NM is $45,460/year ($21.86/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.21), which stretches that salary to about $50,394 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,042/month, about 33.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K 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 social and human service assistants
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What this looks like in Las Cruces
Social and human service assistants pay in Las Cruces tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,042/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.5% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for social and human service assistants in metros near Las Cruces, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $46K | $48K |
| Santa Fe | $49K | $49K |
| Farmington | $45K | $51K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $43K | $42K |
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 social and human service assistants (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Social and Human Service Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Social and Human Service Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59K | +29% | 2,080 |
| Washington | $55K | +19% | 7,590 |
| Oregon | $51K | +12% | 11,260 |
| California | $51K | +11% | 58,730 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +9% | 11,110 |
| New Jersey | $48K | +5% | 17,270 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +4% | 2,290 |
| Maine | $48K | +4% | 4,580 |
| Colorado | $48K | +4% | 5,410 |
| Idaho | $48K | +4% | 3,810 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +3% | 7,750 |
| Alaska | $47K | +3% | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $47K | +3% | 7,280 |
| New York | $47K | +3% | 40,970 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +3% | 9,180 |
| Illinois | $47K | +2% | 22,220 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +2% | 1,860 |
| Vermont | $47K | +2% | 1,920 |
| New Mexico | $46K | +1% | 3,050 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 1,530 |
| Texas | $46K | -0% | 21,620 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -1% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -3% | 9,930 |
| Indiana | $45K | -3% | 11,740 |
| Florida | $44K | -3% | 22,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -4% | 24,340 |
| Virginia | $43K | -5% | 10,670 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Kansas | $43K | -7% | 6,070 |
| Iowa | $42K | -8% | 5,230 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -8% | 2,230 |
| Missouri | $42K | -9% | 6,200 |
| Arizona | $41K | -11% | 7,290 |
| Delaware | $41K | -11% | 1,050 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -12% | 4,380 |
| Utah | $40K | -13% | 6,540 |
| Georgia | $39K | -14% | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -14% | 3,320 |
| Michigan | $39K | -15% | 12,450 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -15% | 1,460 |
| Nevada | $39K | -16% | 2,420 |
| Montana | $39K | -16% | 1,200 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -16% | 5,220 |
| Ohio | $38K | -16% | 10,970 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -17% | 830 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -18% | 4,670 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -20% | 3,530 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -20% | 3,340 |
| Alabama | $36K | -22% | 3,370 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -22% | 3,440 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -32% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track social and human service assistants salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a social and human service assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Las Cruces?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 33.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,042/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for social and human service assistants in Las Cruces?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social and human service assistants typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,913/month. At HUD’s $1,042/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is social and human service assistant a high-paying job in Las Cruces?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Las Cruces compare to the national average for social and human service assistants?
Las Cruces pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do social and human service assistants make in Las Cruces, NM?
The median is $45,460 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,880, and experienced social and human service assistants can clear $66,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Las Cruces?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,111/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,042/month, which eats 33.5% 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 social and human service assistants 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 social and human service assistants salary is worth about $50,394 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do social and human service assistants 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.