Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary
In New Mexico, teaching assistants, except postsecondaries earn $35,900 at the median. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $38,577 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 45.7% 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 $36K get you in New Mexico?
About teaching assistants, except postsecondaries
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Teaching assistants, except postsecondary pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,119/month, which is 44.6% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level teaching assistants, except postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary by metro in New Mexico
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces | $41K | +14% | 1,020 |
| Farmington | $40K | +11% | 560 |
| Santa Fe | $35K | -2% | 410 |
| Albuquerque | $32K | -10% | 3,490 |
Compare to other states
Track teaching assistants, except postsecondary 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 teaching assistants, except postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 44.6% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, except postsecondaries typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,623/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 69% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is teaching assistants, except postsecondary a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries?
New Mexico pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries make in New Mexico?
The median is $35,900 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,050, and experienced teaching assistants, except postsecondaries can clear $46,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,510/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 44.6% 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 teaching assistants, except postsecondary 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 teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary is worth about $38,577 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries 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.