Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| New Mexico | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $59,840 | $53,934 | +11% |
| Median hourly wage | $28.77 | $25.93 | +11% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $64,902.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in New Mexico is $59,840, or about $28.77 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. New Mexico is +11% above the national median.
Entry-level welders in New Mexico typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 2,390 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $59,840, New Mexico offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 302 of the 634 occupations reported in New Mexico — higher than 52% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Power Plant Operators at $105,510, Gas Plant Operators at $97,660, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $79,580 — 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, welders rank 302 of the 634 occupations reported in New Mexico — higher than 52% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in New Mexico | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Power Plant Operators | $105,510 | $130 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $97,660 | $300 |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $79,580 | $40 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $74,480 | $100 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $74,340 | $420 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $72,610 | — |
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.