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1 / 50#50. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $34,520
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 1,620 people (20.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Las Cruces
Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.
However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.
With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.
Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.
It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Las Cruces. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $34,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $34,460
- Median hourly wage: $16.57
- Total employment: 430 people (5.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $34,360
- Median hourly wage: $16.52
- Total employment: 770 people (9.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $34,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $34,260
- Median hourly wage: $16.47
- Total employment: 170 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $34,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $34,120
- Median hourly wage: $16.41
- Total employment: 1,290 people (16.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $33,770
- Median hourly wage: $16.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $33,730
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $33,690
- Median hourly wage: $16.20
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitreel // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Food batchmakers
- Median annual wage: $33,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.12
- Total employment: 100 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $33,150
- Median hourly wage: $15.94
- Total employment: 650 people (8.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,090
- Median hourly wage: $15.43
- Total employment: 680 people (8.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $31,530
- Median hourly wage: $15.16
- Total employment: 200 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $31,510
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 490 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $31,410
- Median hourly wage: $15.10
- Total employment: 140 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#32. Preschool teachers, except special education (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,390
- Median hourly wage: $15.09
- Total employment: 220 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food preparation workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,390
- Median hourly wage: $15.09
- Total employment: 1,160 people (14.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 1,310 people (16.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#29. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 120 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Counter and rental clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $30,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.72
- Total employment: 170 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Goldsithney // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $30,310
- Median hourly wage: $14.57
- Total employment: 130 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,220
- Median hourly wage: $14.53
- Total employment: 800 people (10.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kanemme6 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Tire repairers and changers
- Median annual wage: $30,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.48
- Total employment: 130 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $29,980
- Median hourly wage: $14.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,760
- Median hourly wage: $14.31
- Total employment: 2,030 people (26.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Bakers
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 160 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $29,450
- Median hourly wage: $14.16
- Total employment: 1,560 people (19.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,350
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 80 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $28,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,160 people (14.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,950
- Median hourly wage: $13.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $28,760
- Median hourly wage: $13.83
- Total employment: 90 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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34 / 50#17. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $28,670
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 260 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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35 / 50#16. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,400
- Median hourly wage: $13.66
- Total employment: 170 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $28,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.64
- Total employment: 240 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.58
- Total employment: 380 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $28,170
- Median hourly wage: $13.54
- Total employment: 1,720 people (22.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $27,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 120 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $27,640
- Median hourly wage: $13.29
- Total employment: 330 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $27,510
- Median hourly wage: $13.23
- Total employment: 300 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $27,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 2,330 people (29.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $27,410
- Median hourly wage: $13.18
- Total employment: 150 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Graders and sorters, agricultural products
- Median annual wage: $27,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $26,540
- Median hourly wage: $12.76
- Total employment: 350 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,490
- Median hourly wage: $12.74
- Total employment: 120 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAVV // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Median annual wage: $26,420
- Median hourly wage: $12.70
- Total employment: 580 people (7.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $26,300
- Median hourly wage: $12.65
- Total employment: 130 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $25,720
- Median hourly wage: $12.36
- Total employment: 5,710 people (73.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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