SOC 49-9021

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Las Cruces, NM (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NM
COL Index: 98.78 (-1.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 77.4% Realized
$38,413 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $49,650 $23.87/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.63% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,258 $317.63/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $23.87 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,979/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$357/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,421
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,078
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$720
New Mexico Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,040
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$38,413 ($1,477.41 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Las Cruces, NM HVAC/R Technician Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $49,650
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $35.9k 25th $43.7k Median: $49,650 50th (Median) $49.6k 75th $61.6k 90th $72.3k You: $49,650
10th (Entry) $35,880 $17.25/hr
25th (Junior) $43,670 $21.00/hr
50th (Median) $49,650 $23.87/hr
75th (Senior) $61,580 $29.61/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $72,310 $34.76/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for HVAC/R Technician in Las Cruces, NM
1
HVAC Apprentice / HelperEPA 608 Universal Certification, trade school certificate
$31,087$14.95/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Service TechnicianNATE certification, independent diagnostic electrical skills
$48,014$23.08/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Lead Commercial HVAC TechChiller, VRF, and building automation system certifications
$63,883$30.71/hr · 5-9 Years
4
HVAC Mechanical ContractorState Mechanical Contractor license, bonded, business operations
$87,891$42.26/hr · 9+ Years
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Las Cruces, NM under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
30% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $975/month Requires minimum annual gross of $39,000
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,073/month Requires minimum annual gross of $42,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.85/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.98/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Las Cruces, NM.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$49,650-$8,258$38,413$1,477.41
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$58,959-$10,420$45,002$1,730.83
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$68,269-$12,594$51,579$1,983.81
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$77,578-$15,410$57,514$2,212.07
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$86,888-$18,458$63,216$2,431.39
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

HVAC/R Technician in Las Cruces, NM: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and New Mexico tax codes.

Market Baseline
$49,650/yr
$23.87/hr · SOC 49-9021
Statutory Tax Drag
16.63% Effective
-$8,258 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
30% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,226/mo
Post-$975/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 49-9021
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

HVAC/R Technician in Las Cruces, NM: Market Snapshot

HVAC/R Technician roles in Las Cruces, NM report a median annual wage of $49,650, 18.6% below the national median of $61,010. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $35,880 to $72,310, and HUD’s $975 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 23.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.85 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for HVAC/R Technician

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fairbanks-College, AK$93,820+89.0%
Anchorage, AK$85,620+72.4%
Napa, CA$84,570+70.3%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,050+65.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$80,100+61.3%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$79,510+60.1%
Peoria, IL$78,710+58.5%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$78,640+58.4%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,530+58.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$78,490+58.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Las Cruces, NM

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$170,990$82.21/hr
Physician Assistant$141,350$67.96/hr
Nurse Practitioner$131,990$63.46/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$128,360$61.71/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$119,430$57.42/hr
Financial Manager$117,540$56.51/hr
Operations Research Analyst$114,150$54.88/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$113,550$54.59/hr
Solutions Architect$109,430$52.61/hr
Human Resources Managers$108,690$52.25/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 389 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

HVAC/R Technician Salary in Las Cruces, NM (2026) Overview

HVAC/R Technician median pay in Las Cruces, NM is $49,650 a year ($23.87/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a HVAC/R Technician in Las Cruces, NM?

The median annual wage is $49,650 ($23.87 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $35,880 and $72,310. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a HVAC/R Technician in Las Cruces, NM after taxes?

On the median wage of $49,650, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $40,906 a year ($3,409 a month) after $8,744 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.61%, using 2026 tax rules.