Is New Mexico a good state for your salary to go far?

New Mexico ranks #22 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 100.8 across 367 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 92.2 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in New Mexico?

New Mexico's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 92.2, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / New Mexico

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in New Mexico

New Mexico ranks #22 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 100.8, base = 100). Cost of living 92.2 (US = 100); top income tax 5.90%.

Does a salary go further in New Mexico? (cost of living + state tax)

In New Mexico, the cost of living is 92.2 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 100.8 across 367 occupations, ranking it #22 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

New Mexico ranks #22 of 51 states. Mean across 367 occupations; 100 = the average state, 100.8 means pay goes 0.8% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

100.8

Real pay by occupation in New Mexico (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Mechanical Engineers	$157,710	$164,034	156.6
Engineers, All Other	$162,070	$168,531	145.6
Electrical Engineers	$158,520	$164,870	144.9
Chemists	$126,960	$132,321	144.9
Protective Service Workers, All Other	$64,940	$68,323	139.6
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$54,270	$57,295	139.0
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other	$101,750	$106,322	138.1
Architectural and Engineering Managers	$215,120	$223,242	135.8
School Psychologists	$110,360	$115,201	134.7
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	$62,150	$65,439	134.3
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	$134,600	$140,200	133.5
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining	$76,350	$80,115	133.4
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	$74,100	$77,790	131.0
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$96,070	$100,464	127.6
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other	$56,930	$60,045	127.4
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	$77,880	$81,696	126.4
Data Entry Keyers	$49,810	$52,686	126.2
Education Administrators, All Other	$113,110	$118,037	126.1
Industrial Engineers	$128,090	$133,487	126.0
Computer Occupations, All Other	$127,090	$132,455	125.5
Logisticians	$98,430	$102,898	124.1
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	$136,990	$142,665	122.6
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$74,380	$78,079	122.4
Athletic Trainers	$72,440	$76,074	121.8
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$65,640	$69,046	121.5
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping	$53,960	$56,975	121.5
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$58,840	$62,019	120.7
Physicians, All Other	$327,670	$338,204	120.0
Social Workers, All Other	$90,820	$95,049	119.9
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary	$98,820	$103,300	119.9
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health	$62,330	$65,625	119.9
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists	$83,540	$87,541	119.8
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	$76,420	$80,187	119.3
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks	$47,850	$50,658	119.0
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$62,330	$65,625	117.3
Occupational Therapy Assistants	$77,020	$80,807	117.3
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	$44,070	$46,735	117.2
Bartenders	$36,980	$39,377	117.1
Security Guards	$43,320	$45,956	116.5
Waiters and Waitresses	$36,920	$39,314	116.4

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 367 BLS publishes for New Mexico. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (92.2, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In New Mexico, a $85,000 salary is worth about $86,740 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $5,015 (≈ top marginal 5.90% (upper bound)) · take-home $79,985 · BEA cost of living 92.2 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $9,212 gain over New Mexico.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

New Mexico real pay — FAQ

Is New Mexico a good state for your salary to go far?: New Mexico ranks #22 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 100.8 across 367 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 92.2 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in New Mexico?: New Mexico's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 92.2, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for New Mexico is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.