Health Education Specialists Salary
In New Mexico, health education specialists earn $57,990 at the median, or about $27.88 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $62,315 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 29.4% 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 $58K get you in New Mexico?
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Health education specialists pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,119/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists salary by metro in New Mexico
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $64K | +10% | 300 |
| Santa Fe | $59K | +2% | 70 |
| Las Cruces | $56K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track health education specialists 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 health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.7% 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 health education specialists in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,384/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is health education specialist a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for health education specialists?
New Mexico pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in New Mexico?
The median is $57,990 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,730, and experienced health education specialists can clear $94,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,899/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 28.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a health education specialists 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 health education specialists salary is worth about $62,315 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do health education specialists 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.