High paying entry level jobs in New Mexico

These occupations in New Mexico ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in New Mexico run 7.8% below the national average (2024), so a New Mexico salary is worth about 1.08× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in New Mexico.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in New Mexico

OccupationMedian, New Mexico · Employed

1Computer and Information Research Scientists$165,690
Master's degree
$101,210 – $257,950490
2Materials Engineers$165,600
Bachelor's degree
$126,640 – $204,400450
3Computer Hardware Engineers$165,350
Bachelor's degree
$117,150 – $204,1505,260
4Physicists$165,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,720 – $235,180580
5Nuclear Engineers$164,300
Bachelor's degree
$126,780 – $242,730500
6Engineers, All Other$162,070
Bachelor's degree
$90,880 – $203,2802,190
7Electrical Engineers$158,520
Bachelor's degree
$102,880 – $202,6802,560
8Mechanical Engineers$157,710
Bachelor's degree
$103,780 – $203,1402,710
9Dentists, General$155,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,180 – $306,320780
10Pharmacists$147,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,500 – $174,2001,730
11Physician Assistants$139,920
Master's degree
$70,010 – $172,900700
12Nurse Practitioners$137,520
Master's degree
$106,320 – $175,0201,770
13Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$136,990
Bachelor's degree
$87,190 – $205,5701,110
14Aerospace Engineers$132,850
Bachelor's degree
$97,350 – $195,110570
15Veterinarians$129,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,450 – $212,850460
16Industrial Engineers$128,090
Bachelor's degree
$82,110 – $168,4901,140
17Computer Occupations, All Other$127,090
Bachelor's degree
$70,120 – $194,8501,650
18Chemists$126,960
Bachelor's degree
$59,490 – $212,940280
19Software Developers$124,520
Bachelor's degree
$77,110 – $184,7103,960
20Lawyers$119,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,100 – $232,8903,380
21Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$119,320
Associate's degree
$98,350 – $123,240670
22Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$116,580
Bachelor's degree
$77,760 – $160,430450
23Environmental Engineers$108,360
Bachelor's degree
$80,470 – $200,170500
24Project Management Specialists$106,970
Bachelor's degree
$63,430 – $173,0004,330
25Physical Therapists$106,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,260 – $146,4001,330
26Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$105,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,470 – $138,010290
27Civil Engineers$103,900
Bachelor's degree
$67,100 – $163,5701,350
28Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$101,750
Associate's degree
$65,170 – $123,2601,390
29Electrical and Electronics Drafters$101,330
Associate's degree
$55,000 – $124,470390
30Occupational Therapists$99,170
Master's degree
$69,230 – $133,0501,030
31Database Administrators$98,450
Bachelor's degree
$66,470 – $139,250570
32Logisticians$98,430
Bachelor's degree
$63,190 – $146,850850
33Computer Systems Analysts$98,220
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $146,6702,290
34Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$97,560
Associate's degree
$56,400 – $122,690320
35Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$96,070
Associate's degree
$59,940 – $124,1101,000
36Dental Hygienists$95,940
Associate's degree
$82,180 – $105,4401,420
37Data Scientists$95,850
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $133,660560
38Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$94,640
Bachelor's degree
$47,410 – $167,810340
39Registered Nurses$94,340
Bachelor's degree
$74,300 – $123,54017,980
40Network and Computer Systems Administrators$90,790
Bachelor's degree
$64,100 – $125,5801,220
41Financial and Investment Analysts$87,630
Bachelor's degree
$63,630 – $143,660930
42Budget Analysts$87,360
Bachelor's degree
$58,360 – $129,470740
43Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$87,210
Associate's degree
$65,250 – $108,030410
44Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$86,630
Bachelor's degree
$60,920 – $129,080940
45Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$84,510
Bachelor's degree
$48,730 – $132,090840
46Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$84,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,690 – $99,020860
47Biological Scientists, All Other$84,120
Bachelor's degree
$50,960 – $110,470420
48Business Teachers, Postsecondary$83,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,680 – $173,650410
49Computer Programmers$83,750
Bachelor's degree
$55,500 – $128,940600
50Financial Specialists, All Other$80,610
Bachelor's degree
$46,260 – $127,820720

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianNew Mexico	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$165,690	$101,210 – $257,950	490
2	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$165,600	$126,640 – $204,400	450
3	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$165,350	$117,150 – $204,150	5,260
4	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$165,340	$120,720 – $235,180	580
5	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,300	$126,780 – $242,730	500
6	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$162,070	$90,880 – $203,280	2,190
7	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$158,520	$102,880 – $202,680	2,560
8	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$157,710	$103,780 – $203,140	2,710
9	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$155,260	$101,180 – $306,320	780
10	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$147,000	$103,500 – $174,200	1,730
11	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$139,920	$70,010 – $172,900	700
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$137,520	$106,320 – $175,020	1,770
13	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$136,990	$87,190 – $205,570	1,110
14	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$132,850	$97,350 – $195,110	570
15	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,390	$79,450 – $212,850	460
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,090	$82,110 – $168,490	1,140
17	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$127,090	$70,120 – $194,850	1,650
18	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$126,960	$59,490 – $212,940	280
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$124,520	$77,110 – $184,710	3,960
20	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$119,680	$76,100 – $232,890	3,380
21	Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$119,320	$98,350 – $123,240	670
22	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$116,580	$77,760 – $160,430	450
23	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,360	$80,470 – $200,170	500
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$106,970	$63,430 – $173,000	4,330
25	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,880	$77,260 – $146,400	1,330
26	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,410	$64,470 – $138,010	290
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,900	$67,100 – $163,570	1,350
28	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$101,750	$65,170 – $123,260	1,390
29	Electrical and Electronics DraftersAssociate's degree	$101,330	$55,000 – $124,470	390
30	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,170	$69,230 – $133,050	1,030
31	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$98,450	$66,470 – $139,250	570
32	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$98,430	$63,190 – $146,850	850
33	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,220	$63,060 – $146,670	2,290
34	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,560	$56,400 – $122,690	320
35	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,070	$59,940 – $124,110	1,000
36	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$95,940	$82,180 – $105,440	1,420
37	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,850	$49,990 – $133,660	560
38	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$94,640	$47,410 – $167,810	340
39	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$94,340	$74,300 – $123,540	17,980
40	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$90,790	$64,100 – $125,580	1,220
41	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,630	$63,630 – $143,660	930
42	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,360	$58,360 – $129,470	740
43	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$87,210	$65,250 – $108,030	410
44	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$86,630	$60,920 – $129,080	940
45	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,510	$48,730 – $132,090	840
46	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$84,440	$49,690 – $99,020	860
47	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,120	$50,960 – $110,470	420
48	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,980	$42,680 – $173,650	410
49	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$83,750	$55,500 – $128,940	600
50	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,610	$46,260 – $127,820	720

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in New Mexico. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for New Mexico

Metro areas in New Mexico

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in New Mexico

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in New Mexico to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in New Mexico

More for New Mexico

Metro areas in New Mexico

By field in New Mexico

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state