Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Salary
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators in Albuquerque, NM make a median of $62,990 a year, or about $30.28 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $65,924 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,464/month, about 35.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $63K get you in Albuquerque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albuquerque’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
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What this looks like in Albuquerque
Pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Albuquerque runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $78K. Rent runs $1,464/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in metros near Albuquerque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces | $82K | $91K |
| Santa Fe | $89K | $90K |
| Abilene | $36K | $39K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $64K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albuquerque, NM
Entry-level claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101K | +30% | 360 |
| New Jersey | $96K | +23% | 9,650 |
| Maryland | $96K | +23% | N/A |
| California | $92K | +18% | 24,290 |
| Connecticut | $88K | +13% | 3,190 |
| Alaska | $88K | +12% | 220 |
| New York | $87K | +12% | 17,330 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | +11% | 1,150 |
| Vermont | $84K | +8% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | +8% | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +7% | 5,070 |
| Oregon | $82K | +5% | 2,950 |
| Washington | $81K | +3% | 6,180 |
| Alabama | $80K | +2% | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +1% | 900 |
| South Dakota | $79K | +1% | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $79K | +1% | 6,640 |
| Texas | $79K | +1% | 29,220 |
| Maine | $79K | +1% | 1,650 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +0% | 5,530 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +0% | 8,760 |
| Tennessee | $78K | +0% | 6,390 |
| Colorado | $78K | -0% | 5,680 |
| Idaho | $77K | -1% | 1,320 |
| Kansas | $77K | -1% | 4,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -1% | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $77K | -1% | 14,210 |
| Florida | $77K | -1% | 28,100 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -2% | 180 |
| Missouri | $76K | -3% | 6,200 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -3% | 3,160 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -3% | 4,130 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -3% | 9,880 |
| Virginia | $74K | -5% | 7,860 |
| Arkansas | $74K | -5% | 2,660 |
| Kentucky | $74K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $74K | -6% | 4,340 |
| Georgia | $73K | -6% | N/A |
| Iowa | $73K | -7% | 3,930 |
| Delaware | $72K | -7% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $71K | -9% | 4,140 |
| Utah | $69K | -12% | 2,440 |
| Ohio | $68K | -13% | 13,650 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -13% | 1,280 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -14% | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -16% | 750 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -16% | 3,340 |
| Arizona | $65K | -17% | 13,830 |
| Montana | $64K | -18% | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $63K | -20% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albuquerque?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,464/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators in Albuquerque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,346/month. At HUD’s $1,464/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is claims adjusters, examiners, and investigator a high-paying job in Albuquerque?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $63K here vs. $78K nationally.
How does Albuquerque compare to the national average for claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators?
Albuquerque pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators make in Albuquerque, NM?
The median is $62,990 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,100, and experienced claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators can clear $98,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Albuquerque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,213/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,464/month, which eats 34.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary go in Albuquerque?
Albuquerque has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (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 claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators salary is worth about $65,924 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators 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.