Transportation Inspectors Salary
In New Mexico, transportation inspectors earn $63,690 at the median, or about $30.62 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $68,440 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $64K actually covers in New Mexico, month by month
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Pay for transportation inspectors in New Mexico runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,119/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.3% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $80K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in New Mexico
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $90K | +42% | 70 |
| Las Cruces | $62K | -3% | 40 |
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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 transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 26.3% 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 transportation inspectors in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,350/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is transportation inspector a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $64K here vs. $92K 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 transportation inspectors?
New Mexico pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in New Mexico?
The median is $63,690 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,360, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $113,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,255/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 26.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a transportation inspectors 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 transportation inspectors salary is worth about $68,440 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do transportation inspectors 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.