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, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-13

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. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$14.83 – $17.07$30,840 – $35,500roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$17.07 – $22.26$35,500 – $46,300the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$22.26 – $25.76$46,300 – $53,590the 75th to 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 $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Santa Fe$15.44$20.18$20.43$27.025309% above
Albuquerque$14.88$19.44$20.36$25.424,1405% above
Las Cruces$14.18$18.97$21.03$26.368603% above
Farmington$14.20$18.34$20.91$27.801,3101% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

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 and by -4.7% since 2019.

Are there more construction laborer jobs in New Mexico?

+17.4%Jobs since 201910,620 then, 12,470 in 2025
+24.7%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
14.3Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 2.0× the US share, 1st of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of construction laborers counted in New Mexico has changed by +36.9%, against +43.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +17.4%.

Construction laborers in New Mexico vs United States, 1999 = 100New MexicoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140160200020052010201520202025144United States137New Mexico
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, New Mexico vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearNew Mexico jobsNew Mexico indexUS index
19999,110100100
20008,60094108
20017,93087108
20027,22079109
20037,29080110
20048,09089112
20058,99099122
20069,230101133
200711,840130138
200812,180134134
200911,880130112
20108,82097102
20119,05099102
20128,78096107
20138,91098108
201410,100111112
201510,000110116
20169,480104120
20178,63095126
20189,370103131
201910,620117134
20209,940109127
202110,380114127
202211,640128133
202310,930120134
202410,530116138
202512,470137144

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for construction laborers in New Mexico

+10.7%Projected growth in New Mexico2024–2034, state agency
1,350Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
14,480Jobs in 202416,030 projected for 2034
+7.3%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

New Mexico's labor market agency projects the number of construction laborers in the state to change by +10.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 14,480 to 16,030, with about 1,350 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +7.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 12,470 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: New Mexico labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

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 2026-11-13. 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?

58.0kConstruction jobsNew Mexico, 2026-09
+5.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k70k1990199520002005201020152020202558kSep 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. Across the 22 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 22,922 in 2015 to 28,689 in 2025, +25.2%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Luna County22204$120,882$2,325
Lea County1091,200$83,228$1,601
Eddy County1021,438$79,136$1,522
Valencia County1261,263$77,466$1,490
Sandoval County1721,310$71,541$1,376
Bernalillo County1,17014,398$68,155$1,311
San Juan County1701,610$63,126$1,214
Santa Fe County2991,752$57,076$1,098
Rio Arriba County46148$55,931$1,076
Otero County69582$55,218$1,062
Chaves County80458$55,133$1,060
Grant County33264$54,842$1,055

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New Mexico

More on 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).

Is construction laborer work growing in New Mexico?

The BLS employer survey count of construction laborers in New Mexico went from 10,000 in 2015 to 12,470 in 2025, +24.7%, and +17.4% since 2019. New Mexico's labor market agency projects +10.7% growth for construction laborers between 2024 and 2034, from 14,480 to 16,030 jobs.

How many construction laborer openings a year are there in New Mexico?

New Mexico projects about 1,350 openings a year for construction laborers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 120,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Mexico and metro areas, SOC 47-2061. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: New Mexico labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.