Salaries · United States · New Mexico
Salaries in New Mexico 2026
The median pay for all jobs in New Mexico is $47,210 a year ($22.70 an hour), 7% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 42nd highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in New Mexico earn a median of $53,328 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in New Mexico: the key figures
| Figure | New Mexico | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $47,210 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $62,330 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $28,760 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $110,070 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 870,970 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $53,328 ± $528 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $64,059 ± $808 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 92.2 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $12.00 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $47,210, a single person keeps about $39,051 a year ($3,254 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, New Mexico income tax. With prices 8% below the US average, $47,210 here buys what $51,200 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $47,210 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,485 |
| Social Security | -$2,927 |
| Medicare | -$685 |
| New Mexico income tax | -$1,063 |
| Take-home a year | $39,051 |
What drives pay in New Mexico
New Mexico's economy leans on oil and on federal science. Oil and gas extraction produced 9.2% of the state's GDP in 2025, against 0.8% for the US (BEA), and the Legislative Finance Committee's August 2026 revenue estimate says the industry has more than quintupled since 2017, making New Mexico the second-largest oil producer in the country after Texas. Federal civilian government adds 6.5% of GDP (US 2.1%) and the military 3.8% (US 1.4%).
Two federal laboratories employ thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians. Los Alamos National Laboratory reports a workforce of about 14,150, and Sandia National Laboratories, headquartered in Albuquerque, employs more than 16,300 people across its sites, most of them in Albuquerque or Livermore, California. The state's best-paid jobs reflect that: computer hardware engineers, 5,260 of them, earn a median of $165,350, and architectural and engineering managers $215,120.
Most common jobs pay far less. Home health and personal care aides top the list, 38,910 of them on a median of $28,520, and the all-jobs median is $47,210, 7% below the US and 42nd of the 50 states and DC. Fewer people are in work, too: the committee puts New Mexico's labor force participation rate at 56.9% in June 2026, against 61.4% nationally.
The outlook is slow. The committee's estimate expects the state economy to grow more slowly than the US, with employment, up 0.6% in the year to June 2026, rising just 0.1% in fiscal 2027 on forecasts from the University of New Mexico's Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
The highest-paid jobs in New Mexico
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,930 | $327,670 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 2,270 | $215,120 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 5,260 | $165,350 |
| Engineers, All Other | 2,190 | $162,070 |
| Electrical Engineers | 2,560 | $158,520 |
| Mechanical Engineers | 2,710 | $157,710 |
| Pharmacists | 1,730 | $147,000 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,500 | $137,730 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,770 | $137,520 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 1,110 | $136,990 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,430 | $134,600 |
| Financial Managers | 2,530 | $133,700 |
| Information Security Analysts | 2,470 | $130,070 |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,140 | $128,090 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 1,650 | $127,090 |
The most common jobs in New Mexico
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 38,910 | $28,520 | $13.71 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 28,250 | $28,700 | $13.80 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 25,430 | $46,450 | $22.33 |
| Retail Salespersons | 23,800 | $33,300 | $16.01 |
| Cashiers | 19,020 | $30,120 | $14.48 |
| Registered Nurses | 17,980 | $94,340 | $45.36 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 16,950 | $39,030 | $18.77 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 16,540 | $35,830 | $17.22 |
| General and Operations Managers | 16,330 | $98,630 | $47.42 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 14,360 | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 12,740 | $36,920 | $17.75 |
| Construction Laborers | 12,470 | $38,400 | $18.46 |
| Office Clerks, General | 11,880 | $37,130 | $17.85 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 11,820 | $50,500 | $24.28 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 10,200 | $37,230 | $17.90 |
Pay for careers we cover, in New Mexico
Official BLS medians for New Mexico; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | 780 | $155,260 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 350 | $148,550 |
| Pharmacist | 1,730 | $147,000 |
| Physician Assistant | 700 | $139,920 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1,770 | $137,520 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 570 | $132,850 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 2,470 | $130,070 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $129,370 | |
| Software Engineer | 3,960 | $124,520 |
| Lawyer | 3,380 | $119,680 |
| Project Manager | 4,330 | $106,970 |
| Commercial Pilot | 370 | $97,920 |
| Dental Hygienist | 1,420 | $95,940 |
| Data Scientist | 560 | $95,850 |
| Registered Nurse | 17,980 | $94,340 |
| Financial Analyst | 930 | $87,630 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 860 | $84,440 |
| Accountant | 6,300 | $78,580 |
| Elevator Technician | 110 | $71,430 |
| Compliance Officer | 2,400 | $67,990 |
| Plumber | 2,830 | $61,440 |
| Paralegal | 1,740 | $59,840 |
| Welder | 2,390 | $59,840 |
| Electrician | 5,020 | $58,390 |
| UX Designer | 200 | $53,300 |
| HVAC Technician | 1,950 | $50,270 |
New Mexico and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $47,210 | 92.2 | $51,200 |
| Arizona | $50,060 | 100.7 | $49,700 |
| Colorado | $59,800 | 103.1 | $58,000 |
| Oklahoma | $45,600 | 87.8 | $51,900 |
| Texas | $48,620 | 97.1 | $50,100 |
| Utah | $50,110 | 98.9 | $50,700 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in New Mexico, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee: General Fund Consensus Revenue Estimate, August 2026 (presented to the LFC 25 Aug 2026), August 2026
- Los Alamos National Laboratory: About, undated page, accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Sandia National Laboratories: About and Facts & Figures, FY 2025 figures, accessed 31 Oct 2026
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