Skilled Wages

Construction laborer salary in New Mexico

Median $18.46 an hour for 12,470 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$18.46/hrMedian hourly wageNew Mexico, May data
$38,400/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$14.83 – $25.7610th to 90th percentilehourly range
12,470Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Construction laborer pay in New Mexico: the full range

Wage percentiles, New MexicoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrNew Mexico: 10th $14.83 · 25th $17.07 · median $18.46 · 75th $22.26 · 90th $25.76New Mexico$18.46$14.83$25.76United States: 10th $16.87 · 25th $18.57 · median $22.66 · 75th $28.72 · 90th $37.54United States$22.66
Hourly wage percentiles for construction laborers: New Mexico vs United States, May 2025.

New Mexico ranks 47th of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 49th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $20.02). 12,470 construction laborers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$14.83 – $17.07$30,840 – $35,500roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$17.07 – $22.26$35,500 – $46,300the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$22.26 – $25.76$46,300 – $53,590the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Construction laborer pay by metro in New Mexico

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrSanta Fe: $20.18Santa Fe$20.18Albuquerque: $19.44Albuquerque$19.44Las Cruces: $18.97Las Cruces$18.97Farmington: $18.34Farmington$18.34
Median hourly wage for construction laborers by metro area in New Mexico, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Santa Fe$15.44$20.18$27.025309% above
Albuquerque$14.88$19.44$25.424,1405% above
Las Cruces$14.18$18.97$26.368603% above
Farmington$14.20$18.34$27.801,3101% below

Construction laborer wages in New Mexico over time

New Mexico, 1999-2025New MexicoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25200020052010201520202025$22.66United States$18.46New Mexico
Median hourly wage for construction laborers, New Mexico vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew Mexico $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$8.48$16.39$10.859,110
2000$8.76$16.38$11.158,600
2001$9.45$17.18$11.577,930
2002$9.79$17.52$11.907,220
2003$9.94$17.39$11.867,290
2004$10.14$17.28$12.108,090
2005$9.56$15.76$12.228,990
2006$10.07$16.08$12.669,230
2007$10.17$15.79$13.1311,840
2008$11.06$16.54$13.7112,180
2009$11.09$16.64$14.0111,880
2010$11.96$17.66$14.088,820
2011$12.39$17.73$14.309,050
2012$12.68$17.78$14.428,780
2013$12.61$17.43$14.648,910
2014$12.89$17.53$14.9510,100
2015$13.17$17.89$15.3410,000
2016$13.99$18.77$16.079,480
2017$14.37$18.87$16.608,630
2018$14.80$18.98$17.219,370
2019$15.38$19.37$17.7210,620
2020$16.11$20.04$18.229,940
2021$16.82$19.98$18.1610,380
2022$17.21$18.93$19.5911,640
2023$17.92$18.93$21.7810,930
2024$18.52$19.01$22.4710,530
2025$18.46$18.46$22.6612,470

In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in New Mexico changed by +3.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in New Mexico

On federally funded construction in New Mexico, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 33 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.91). 26 of the 33 counties still use a survey rate dated 2010 or earlier (for example Catron County at $16.91). The market median for the state is $18.46.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NMBernalillo: $20.56 (survey)Catron: $16.91 (survey)Chaves: $16.18 (survey)Cibola: $16.55 (survey)Colfax: $16.55 (survey)Curry: $19.53 (survey)De Baca: $16.91 (survey)Doña Ana: $21.03 (survey)Eddy: $12.87 (survey)Grant: $16.91 (survey)Guadalupe: $16.55 (survey)Harding: $16.55 (survey)Hidalgo: $16.91 (survey)Lea: $16.91 (survey)Lincoln: $16.91 (survey)Los Alamos: $16.55 (survey)Luna: $16.91 (survey)McKinley: $12.31 (survey)Mora: $16.55 (survey)Otero: $17.50 (survey)Quay: $16.55 (survey)Rio Arriba: $12.71 (survey)Roosevelt: $16.91 (survey)Sandoval: $16.70 (survey)San Juan: $13.16 (survey)San Miguel: $17.34 (survey)Santa Fe: $18.83 (survey)Sierra: $16.91 (survey)Socorro: $16.91 (survey)Taos: $16.55 (survey)Torrance: $20.71 (survey)Union: $16.55 (survey)Valencia: $20.71 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$16.55$16.91$17.44survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for construction laborers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$12.50$15$17.50$20$22.50/hrDoña Ana (Las Cruces): market median $18.97, prevailing (survey) $21.03, gap +$2.06Doña Ana (Las Cruces)+$2.06Torrance (Albuquerque): market median $19.44, prevailing (survey) $20.71, gap +$1.27Torrance (Albuquerque)+$1.27Santa Fe (Santa Fe): market median $20.18, prevailing (survey) $18.83, gap −$1.35Santa Fe (Santa Fe)−$1.35San Juan (Farmington): market median $18.34, prevailing (survey) $13.16, gap −$5.18San Juan (Farmington)−$5.18
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for construction laborers, metro counties in New Mexico.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Doña AnaSurvey SUNM2016-002 2018-09-26$16.49$4.54$21.03NM20260045
TorranceSurvey SUNM2016-006 2018-09-26$15.99$4.72$20.71NM20260049
ValenciaSurvey SUNM2016-006 2018-09-26$15.99$4.72$20.71NM20260049
BernalilloSurvey SUNM2016-001 2018-09-26$15.70$4.86$20.56NM20260044
CurrySurvey SUNM2010-004 2010-11-09$15.15$4.38$19.53NM20260016
Santa FeSurvey SUNM2016-005 2018-09-26$14.58$4.25$18.83NM20260048
OteroSurvey SUNM2010-013 2010-11-09$13.61$3.89$17.50NM20260025
San MiguelSurvey SUNM2010-016 2010-11-09$13.78$3.56$17.34NM20260028
CatronSurvey SUNM2010-001 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260013
De BacaSurvey SUNM2010-005 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260017
GrantSurvey SUNM2010-007 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260019
HidalgoSurvey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260032
LeaSurvey SUNM2010-008 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260020
LincolnSurvey SUNM2010-009 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260021
LunaSurvey SUNM2010-011 2010-11-09$13.12$3.79$16.91NM20260023

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New Mexico prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in New Mexico?

58.6kConstruction jobsNew Mexico, 2026-08
+5.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k70k1990199520002005201020152020202559kAug 2026
Construction employment in New Mexico (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just construction laborers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Luna County204$120,882$2,325
Lea County1,200$83,228$1,601
Eddy County1,438$79,136$1,522
Valencia County1,263$77,466$1,490
Sandoval County1,310$71,541$1,376
Bernalillo County14,398$68,155$1,311
San Juan County1,610$63,126$1,214
Santa Fe County1,752$57,076$1,098
Rio Arriba County148$55,931$1,076
Otero County582$55,218$1,062
Chaves County458$55,133$1,060
Grant County264$54,842$1,055

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New Mexico

Questions this page answers

How much do construction laborers make in New Mexico?

The median construction laborer in New Mexico earned $18.46 an hour ($38,400 a year) in May 2025, 19% below the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $17.07–$22.26; the top 10% earn more than $25.76.

Where does New Mexico rank for construction laborer pay?

New Mexico ranks 47th of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $18.46 an hour, and 49th after adjusting for New Mexico's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.2, US = 100).

What is the union construction laborer rate in New Mexico?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a construction laborer classification for most New Mexico counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many construction laborers work in New Mexico?

BLS counted 12,470 construction laborers in New Mexico in May 2025, 14.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.03; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Mexico and metro areas, SOC 47-2061.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.