New Mexico Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across New Mexico.
The average salary in New Mexico is $101,926 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Albuquerque). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Pediatrician at $214,520 median; 27 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 94, the average median equates to $108,432 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
New Mexico has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing New Mexico job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in New Mexico
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 140 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($214,520)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 210 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($185,200)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 70 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($165,810)
Software Quality Assurance Analyst
Technology · 220 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($165,690)
Electrical Engineer
Engineering · 1,280 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($163,720)
Engineers (Other)
Engineering · 1,110 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($163,630)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 1,000 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($147,000)
Dentist
Healthcare · 460 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($141,580)
Nurse Practitioner
Healthcare · 890 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($140,950)
Veterinarian
Healthcare · 240 jobs in state · top metro: Albuquerque ($140,200)
Cities in New Mexico
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in New Mexico is $101,926 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Pediatrician at $214,520 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in New Mexico, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Pediatrician ($214,520), Family Medicine Physician ($185,200), Optometrist ($165,810), Software Quality Assurance Analyst ($165,690), Electrical Engineer ($163,720). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/new-mexico.
27 of the 63 BLS-tracked occupations in New Mexico have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Albuquerque, NM leads New Mexico with an average median salary of $101,926 across 63 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across New Mexico's tracked metros is 94 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $101,926 translates to $108,432 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in New Mexico, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
63 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.