Average Salaries in Albuquerque, NM
Explore salaries across 499 occupations in Albuquerque, NM. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $63.2K, +2.8% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 499 occupations and 384,590 total jobs in Albuquerque, NM.
How the metro compares
Wages in Albuquerque, NM track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Albuquerque, NM is a mid-sized metro labor market.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Pediatricians, General. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Albuquerque, NM
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Albuquerque, NM
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatricians, General | $238.0K | 160 |
| Podiatrists | $222.0K | 40 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $219.4K | N/A |
| Computer And Information Research Scientists | $180.5K | 270 |
| Physicists | $175.2K | 360 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $173.0K | 80 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $171.1K | 1,340 |
| Optometrists | $165.1K | 70 |
| Chief Executives | $162.1K | 210 |
| Dentists, General | $156.1K | 300 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Albuquerque, NM
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 16,400 | $28.2K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 12,360 | $29.2K |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,130 | $31.7K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 10,860 | $45.1K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 10,650 | $39.5K |
| Registered Nurses | 9,890 | $89.6K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 7,950 | $36.3K |
| Cashiers | 7,900 | $29.6K |
| General And Operations Managers | 7,580 | $100.4K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 6,930 | $32.9K |
What Albuquerque, NM specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Albuquerque, NM than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Albuquerque, NM
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Physicists | 6.43 | $175.2K |
| Anthropologists And Archeologists | 6.18 | $54.6K |
| Reinforcing Iron And Rebar Workers | 5.57 | $50.8K |
| Electrical And Electronics Drafters | 5.09 | $88.8K |
| Hydrologists | 4.45 | $93.4K |
| Cardiologists | 4.27 | N/A |
| Plasterers And Stucco Masons | 4.13 | $46.9K |
| Gambling Change Persons And Booth Cashiers | 3.74 | $32.0K |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 3.60 | $41.0K |
| Survey Researchers | 3.49 | $58.2K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Albuquerque, NM
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.