Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| New Mexico | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $44,400 | $48,867 | -9% |
| Median hourly wage | $21.35 | $23.49 | -9% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $48,156.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Dental Assistant in New Mexico is $44,400, or about $21.35 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dental Assistants is $48,867. New Mexico is -9% below the national median.
Entry-level dental assistants in New Mexico typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 2,150 dental assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $44,400, New Mexico offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 466 of the 634 occupations reported in New Mexico — higher than 26% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $77,020, Physical Therapist Assistants at $62,280, Healthcare Support Workers, All Other at $52,170 — all figures are median annual wages for New Mexico.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. New Mexico levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 94.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, dental assistants rank 466 of the 634 occupations reported in New Mexico — higher than 26% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in New Mexico | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $77,020 | $300 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $62,280 | $700 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $52,170 | $450 |
| Occupational Therapy Aides | $43,170 | $50 |
| Phlebotomists | $42,910 | $760 |
| Nursing Assistants | $39,390 | $4,750 |
New Mexico levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 94.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 634 occupations in New Mexico.