Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary
The median pay for a museum technicians and conservators in New Mexico is $56,670/year ($27.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $60,896 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in New Mexico?
About museum technicians and conservators
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Museum technicians and conservators pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,119/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% 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 museum technicians and conservators (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary by metro in New Mexico
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | $57K | +0% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track museum technicians and conservators 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 museum technicians and conservator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 29.3% 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 museum technicians and conservators in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new museum technicians and conservators typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,815/month. At HUD’s $1,119/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 museum technicians and conservator a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for museum technicians and conservators?
New Mexico pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do museum technicians and conservators make in New Mexico?
The median is $56,670 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,250, and experienced museum technicians and conservators can clear $69,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,816/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 29.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a museum technicians and conservators 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 museum technicians and conservators salary is worth about $60,896 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do museum technicians and conservators 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.