Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025
Industrial Engineer Salary in Albuquerque, NM
Engineering · SOC 17-2112 · COL Index 94
Industrial Engineers in Albuquerque, NM earn a median salary of $132,290 as of 2025, with a 10th-to-90th percentile range of $81,270 to $208,000. The mean is $133,120 across approximately 820 workers. Adjusted for Albuquerque, NM's cost-of-living index of 94, the median equates to $140,734 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Industrial Engineer in Albuquerque, NM pays a substantial premium over the national median: $132,290 versus $107,025 nationally, roughly 24% above. The premium reflects local labor demand, cost-of-living adjustment, and industry concentration.
Cost-of-living in Albuquerque, NM runs below the national baseline (index 94.0). The cost-adjusted purchasing power of $132,290 works out to roughly $140,734 in national-baseline dollars — often higher real income than in high-cost coastal cities at the same gross wage. Wage distribution at the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles: $101,678, $132,290, $170,145, $208,000. 820 Industrial Engineer workers are documented in Albuquerque, NM per the BLS OEWS survey. The percentile spread is the most useful framing — entry-level pay clusters near p25, mid-career near p50, senior-level near p75-p90.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Percentile | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Entry Level) | $81,270 | $86,457 |
| 25th Percentile | $101,678 | $108,168 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $132,290 | $140,734 |
| 75th Percentile | $170,145 | $181,005 |
| 90th Percentile (Top Earners) | $208,000 | $221,277 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentile for Industrial Engineers in Albuquerque, NM is unusually wide — top earners take home roughly 2.6× what the bottom decile earns. That signals a long career ladder: substantial pay gains accrue with seniority, specialization, and movement to larger employers. Workers entering this role should expect to start near the 25th percentile and target the median by year three to five.
Albuquerque, NM's cost-of-living index of 94 runs below the U.S. average, so a $132,290 salary here has the equivalent purchasing power of about $140,734 in an average-cost metro. Lower nominal pay in markets like this often translates to comparable or better real income than higher headline numbers in coastal hubs.
Albuquerque, NM ranks #3 of 70 BLS-tracked metros for Industrial Engineer pay — among the very top markets nationally. Top-3 metros for any occupation typically combine three signals: dense local employer concentration, high cost of living, and a deep pool of senior workers that pulls the percentile bands upward.
How to Use This in Negotiation
The classic negotiation move is to anchor your ask on the 75th percentile of the BLS band — $170,145 for Industrial Engineers in Albuquerque, NM — when you have meaningful experience, then bring evidence (years on the job, scope of past work, relevant certifications, comparable offers) to justify why you sit at that point in the distribution. Anchoring on the median when you have 5+ years of experience leaves money on the table; anchoring on the 90th percentile ($208,000) without strong evidence undercuts credibility.
For new entrants, the 25th-to-50th percentile band ($101,678–$132,290) is the realistic target. For mid-career workers, the median-to-75th band ($132,290–$170,145) is the right anchor. Senior specialists and managers should be benchmarking against the 75th-to-90th band ($170,145–$208,000).
For specific scripts and a full negotiation framework, see the data-driven salary negotiation guide. To benchmark your current pay, the salary percentile calculator places any number into the BLS distribution for this role and metro.
How This Salary Is Calculated
Wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program — a federal survey of about 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The Albuquerque, NM percentile bands above (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) and the mean are pulled directly from the BLS data file for SOC code 17-2112 in this MSA. The COL-adjusted figure rebases salary to a U.S. national average COL of 100, using a composite index derived from public housing, food, and transportation data. Read the full methodology for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Industrial Engineer salary in Albuquerque, NM?
Industrial Engineers in Albuquerque, NM earn a median salary of $132,290 as of 2025, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data. The mean (employment-weighted average) is $133,120 across roughly 820 workers in this metro.
What is the salary range for Industrial Engineers in Albuquerque, NM?
Pay ranges from $81,270 at the 10th percentile to $208,000 at the 90th percentile — a $126,730 spread. The 25th-to-75th percentile band ($101,678 to $170,145) is the typical anchor for salary negotiation.
Is $132,290 a good Industrial Engineer salary in Albuquerque, NM?
$132,290 is the BLS median — half of Industrial Engineers in Albuquerque, NM earn more, half earn less. Whether it is "good" depends on your experience: new entrants typically land near the 25th percentile ($101,678), mid-career workers near the median, and senior specialists near or above the 75th percentile ($170,145). Cost-of-living-adjusted to a national average baseline, the median equates to $140,734.
How does Industrial Engineer pay in Albuquerque, NM compare to other metros?
Albuquerque, NM ranks #3 of 70 BLS-tracked metros for Industrial Engineer median pay. It is among the highest-paying markets for this role.
Where does this Industrial Engineer salary data come from?
Every wage figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal data covering 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data feeds the U.S. Department of Labor's prevailing wage system used for H-1B and federal contracting wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Albuquerque, NM MSA, SOC 17-2112, 2025 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2025."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 820 Industrial Engineers tracked in Albuquerque, NM.