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Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary

in New Mexico

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in New Mexico make a median of $62,150 a year, or about $29.88 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $66,785 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 27.4% of estimated take-home pay.

Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:

$62K
Median annual
$29.88/hr
Hourly rate
$36K
Entry level (10th %)
$65K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $62K get you in New Mexico?

Estimated monthly take-home$4,161/mo
Median 2BR rent-$1,119/mo
Rent as % of take-home26.9% (within guideline)
Cost-of-living adjusted salary$66,785/yr
Monthly remaining after rent$3,042/mo

About industrial truck and tractor operators

Education: No formal educational credential
U.S. employed: 774,420
New Mexico employed: 2,620
Category: Transportation

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What this looks like in New Mexico

New Mexico sits well above the national pay line for industrial truck and tractor operators, local pay runs about 34% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. Rent runs $1,119/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico

Bar chart showing Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary percentiles in New Mexico: 10th percentile $35,900, 25th percentile $39,840, median $62,150, 75th percentile $62,150, 90th percentile $65,090. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$36K25th$40KMedian$62K75th$62K90th$65K
Bar chart showing Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary percentiles in New Mexico: 10th percentile $35,900, 25th percentile $39,840, median $62,150, 75th percentile $62,150, 90th percentile $65,090. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level industrial truck and tractor operators (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.

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Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators salary by metro in New Mexico

4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay

Metro areaMedian salaryvs. stateEmployment
Albuquerque$62K+0%1,940
Farmington$45K-28%70
Santa Fe$44K-30%40
Las Cruces$36K-42%220

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Track industrial truck and tractor operators 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 industrial truck and tractor operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?

Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 26.9% 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 industrial truck and tractor operators in New Mexico?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial truck and tractor operators typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,154/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is industrial truck and tractor operator a high-paying job in New Mexico?

Local pay is 34% above the national median — $62K here vs. $46K nationally.

How does New Mexico compare to the national average for industrial truck and tractor operators?

New Mexico pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do industrial truck and tractor operators make in New Mexico?

The median is $62,150 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,900, and experienced industrial truck and tractor operators can clear $65,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $62K enough to live in New Mexico?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,161/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 26.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.

How far does a industrial truck and tractor operators 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 industrial truck and tractor operators salary is worth about $66,785 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do industrial truck and tractor operators 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.

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