Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in New Mexico make a median of $103,900 a year, or about $49.95 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $111,648 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $104K get you in New Mexico?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Civil engineers pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $104K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,119/month, 17.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $96K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in New Mexico
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | $110K | +6% | 150 |
| Albuquerque | $105K | +1% | 680 |
| Farmington | $97K | -6% | 60 |
| Las Cruces | $88K | -16% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 17.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,026/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $104K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for civil engineers?
New Mexico pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in New Mexico?
The median is $103,900 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,100, and experienced civil engineers can clear $163,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,449/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 17.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a civil engineers salary go in New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineers salary is worth about $111,648 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.