Embalmers Salary
In New Mexico, embalmers earn $45,340 at the median, or about $21.8 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $48,721 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Mexico. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
Where the paycheck goes
What $45K actually covers in New Mexico, month by month
About embalmers
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Pay for embalmers in New Mexico runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,119/month, which is 36.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for embalmers.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level embalmers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $9K spread from bottom to top.
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Track embalmers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a embalmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 36.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for embalmers in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new embalmers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,647/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is embalmer a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $45K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for embalmers?
New Mexico pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do embalmers make in New Mexico?
The median is $45,340 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,080, and experienced embalmers can clear $47,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,104/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 36.1% 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 embalmers 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 embalmers salary is worth about $48,721 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do embalmers 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.