Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In New Mexico, waiters and waitresses earn $36,920 at the median, or about $17.75 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $39,673 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,119/month, about 44.4% 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 $37K get you in New Mexico?
About waiters and waitresses
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in New Mexico
Waiters and waitresses pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,119/month, which is 43.5% 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 waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in New Mexico
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | $47K | +26% | 1,680 |
| Las Cruces | $39K | +5% | 1,190 |
| Albuquerque | $38K | +3% | 5,880 |
| Farmington | $37K | +1% | 570 |
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 43.5% 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 waiters and waitresses in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,600/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is waiters and waitress a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
New Mexico pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in New Mexico?
The median is $36,920 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,670, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $69,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,574/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 43.5% 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 waiters and waitresses 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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $39,673 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do waiters and waitresses 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.