Average Salaries in Albuquerque, NM
Explore salaries across 503 occupations in Albuquerque, NM. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $66.9K, +1.7% 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 2025 estimates. Coverage: 503 occupations and 389,520 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 Emergency Medicine Physicians. 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.
Highest-paid occupations in Albuquerque, NM
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $405.1K | 180 |
| Physicians, All Other | $327.7K | 1,060 |
| Psychiatrists | $236.3K | N/A |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $216.2K | 80 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $215.1K | 1,160 |
| Pediatricians, General | $214.5K | 140 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $185.2K | 210 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $178.3K | 1,270 |
| Optometrists | $165.8K | 70 |
| Computer And Information Research Scientists | $165.7K | 220 |
Largest occupations in Albuquerque, NM
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 16,860 | $30.2K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 14,510 | $29.1K |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,370 | $34.2K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 11,020 | $47K |
| Registered Nurses | 10,290 | $96K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 10,270 | $41.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 8,220 | $36.2K |
| General And Operations Managers | 7,670 | $94.6K |
| Cashiers | 7,460 | $30.5K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 7,070 | $35.5K |
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.
Most concentrated occupations in Albuquerque, NM
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Plasterers And Stucco Masons | 6.32 | $37.5K |
| Physicists | 6.17 | $165.3K |
| Electronic Equipment Installers And Repairers, Motor Vehicles | 4.45 | $49.6K |
| Electrical And Electronics Drafters | 4.42 | N/A |
| Occupational Health And Safety Technicians | 4.40 | $80.6K |
| Reinforcing Iron And Rebar Workers | 4.18 | $55K |
| Helpers--Roofers | 3.96 | $38.6K |
| Gambling Cage Workers | 3.58 | $36.3K |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 3.50 | $42.7K |
| Survey Researchers | 3.49 | $60.8K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
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.