Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders Salary
In New Mexico, tank car, truck, and ship loaders earn $48,010 at the median, or about $23.08 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $51,590 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 34.2% 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 $48K actually covers in New Mexico, month by month
About tank car, truck, and ship loaders
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Pay for tank car, truck, and ship loaders in New Mexico runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,119/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.2% 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
Entry-level tank car, truck, and ship loaders (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
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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 tank car, truck, and ship loader afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 34.2% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tank car, truck, and ship loaders in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tank car, truck, and ship loaders typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,819/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tank car, truck, and ship loader a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $48K 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 tank car, truck, and ship loaders?
New Mexico pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do tank car, truck, and ship loaders make in New Mexico?
The median is $48,010 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,810, and experienced tank car, truck, and ship loaders can clear $51,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,271/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 34.2% 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 tank car, truck, and ship loaders 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 tank car, truck, and ship loaders salary is worth about $51,590 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tank car, truck, and ship loaders 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.