Jobs that pay the biggest premium in New Mexico

Each occupation's median wage in New Mexico compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where New Mexico pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$119,320
Associate's degree
$98,350 – $123,240+61.5%
2Protective Service Workers, All Other$64,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,480 – $126,050+52.7%
3Mechanical Engineers$157,710
Bachelor's degree
$103,780 – $203,140+51.5%
4Materials Engineers$165,600
Bachelor's degree
$126,640 – $204,400+46.7%
5Real Estate Sales Agents$76,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,340 – $151,560+44.2%
6Chemists$126,960
Bachelor's degree
$59,490 – $212,940+39.1%
7Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$62,150
No formal educational credential
$35,900 – $65,090+33.9%
8Boilermakers$101,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,160 – $119,550+32.4%
9Electrical and Electronics Drafters$101,330
Associate's degree
$55,000 – $124,470+31.8%
10Engineers, All Other$162,070
Bachelor's degree
$90,880 – $203,280+31.8%
11Electrical Engineers$158,520
Bachelor's degree
$102,880 – $202,680+31.4%
12Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$97,560
Associate's degree
$56,400 – $122,690+30.9%
13Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$101,750
Associate's degree
$65,170 – $123,260+29.9%
14Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$79,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,510 – $135,200+29.1%
15Architectural and Engineering Managers$215,120
Bachelor's degree
$163,530 – $268,190+25.6%
16Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$134,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,680 – $355,560+25.4%
17Industrial Engineers$128,090
Bachelor's degree
$82,110 – $168,490+25.0%
18Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$74,100
Master's degree
$48,900 – $113,420+24.9%
19Physicians, All Other$327,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$135,220 – $449,310+23.2%
20Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$96,070
Associate's degree
$59,940 – $124,110+22.9%
21Nuclear Engineers$164,300
Bachelor's degree
$126,780 – $242,730+22.6%
22Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$82,780
No formal educational credential
$48,840 – $101,860+21.9%
23Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$77,880
Master's degree
$46,660 – $103,110+21.1%
24Emergency Medicine Physicians$405,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$158,680 – $454,480+20.7%
25Data Entry Keyers$49,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,990 – $53,410+20.5%
26Logisticians$98,430
Bachelor's degree
$63,190 – $146,850+19.6%
27Education Administrators, All Other$113,110
Bachelor's degree
$78,290 – $134,930+18.8%
28Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$74,380
Bachelor's degree
$51,420 – $88,570+18.7%
29Computer and Information Research Scientists$165,690
Master's degree
$101,210 – $257,950+18.1%
30Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$76,420
Bachelor's degree
$58,110 – $100,460+17.4%
31Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,240
Bachelor's degree
$61,630 – $82,880+16.9%
32Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$74,550
Bachelor's degree
$58,120 – $86,560+16.5%
33Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$58,840
Bachelor's degree
$44,350 – $67,200+15.6%
34Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$44,070
Associate's degree
$32,270 – $79,560+15.5%
35School Psychologists$110,360
Master's degree
$83,980 – $165,830+15.0%
36Security Guards$43,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,220 – $64,840+13.9%
37Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$62,330
Associate's degree
$42,890 – $125,840+13.1%
38Helpers--Electricians$48,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,610 – $59,730+12.6%
39Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$48,270
Bachelor's degree
$34,400 – $65,100+12.5%
40Medical Records Specialists$57,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,600 – $76,460+12.4%
41Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$116,580
Bachelor's degree
$77,760 – $160,430+11.8%
42Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$64,990
No formal educational credential
$47,400 – $101,900+11.7%
43Wellhead Pumpers$78,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,240 – $98,810+11.5%
44First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$62,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,780 – $94,770+11.4%
45Special Education Teachers, Middle School$74,440
Bachelor's degree
$60,070 – $89,760+11.4%
46Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$59,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,860 – $92,760+11.3%
47Gas Plant Operators$97,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,440 – $108,670+11.2%
48Computer Occupations, All Other$127,090
Bachelor's degree
$70,120 – $194,850+9.0%
49Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$65,640
Master's degree
$36,700 – $114,170+8.9%
50Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$80,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,610 – $101,170+8.8%

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	vs. national
1	Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$119,320	$98,350 – $123,240	+61.5%
2	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,940	$34,480 – $126,050	+52.7%
3	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$157,710	$103,780 – $203,140	+51.5%
4	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$165,600	$126,640 – $204,400	+46.7%
5	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,170	$38,340 – $151,560	+44.2%
6	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$126,960	$59,490 – $212,940	+39.1%
7	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$62,150	$35,900 – $65,090	+33.9%
8	BoilermakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,200	$62,160 – $119,550	+32.4%
9	Electrical and Electronics DraftersAssociate's degree	$101,330	$55,000 – $124,470	+31.8%
10	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$162,070	$90,880 – $203,280	+31.8%
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$158,520	$102,880 – $202,680	+31.4%
12	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,560	$56,400 – $122,690	+30.9%
13	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$101,750	$65,170 – $123,260	+29.9%
14	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,490	$47,510 – $135,200	+29.1%
15	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$215,120	$163,530 – $268,190	+25.6%
16	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$134,600	$42,680 – $355,560	+25.4%
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,090	$82,110 – $168,490	+25.0%
18	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$74,100	$48,900 – $113,420	+24.9%
19	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$327,670	$135,220 – $449,310	+23.2%
20	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,070	$59,940 – $124,110	+22.9%
21	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$164,300	$126,780 – $242,730	+22.6%
22	Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$82,780	$48,840 – $101,860	+21.9%
23	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$77,880	$46,660 – $103,110	+21.1%
24	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$405,130	$158,680 – $454,480	+20.7%
25	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,810	$35,990 – $53,410	+20.5%
26	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$98,430	$63,190 – $146,850	+19.6%
27	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$113,110	$78,290 – $134,930	+18.8%
28	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$74,380	$51,420 – $88,570	+18.7%
29	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$165,690	$101,210 – $257,950	+18.1%
30	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$76,420	$58,110 – $100,460	+17.4%
31	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$75,240	$61,630 – $82,880	+16.9%
32	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$74,550	$58,120 – $86,560	+16.5%
33	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$58,840	$44,350 – $67,200	+15.6%
34	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$44,070	$32,270 – $79,560	+15.5%
35	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$110,360	$83,980 – $165,830	+15.0%
36	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,320	$30,220 – $64,840	+13.9%
37	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$62,330	$42,890 – $125,840	+13.1%
38	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,030	$35,610 – $59,730	+12.6%
39	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$48,270	$34,400 – $65,100	+12.5%
40	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,470	$36,600 – $76,460	+12.4%
41	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$116,580	$77,760 – $160,430	+11.8%
42	Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$64,990	$47,400 – $101,900	+11.7%
43	Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,010	$48,240 – $98,810	+11.5%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,330	$40,780 – $94,770	+11.4%
45	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,440	$60,070 – $89,760	+11.4%
46	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,840	$36,860 – $92,760	+11.3%
47	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,660	$72,440 – $108,670	+11.2%
48	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$127,090	$70,120 – $194,850	+9.0%
49	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$65,640	$36,700 – $114,170	+8.9%
50	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,590	$57,610 – $101,170	+8.8%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in New Mexico

More for New Mexico

Metro areas in New Mexico

By field in New Mexico

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state