Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in New Mexico

Median $25.00 an hour for 5,520 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$25.00/hrMedian hourly wageNew Mexico, May data
$52,000/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.54 – $33.5110th to 90th percentilehourly range
5,520Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in New Mexico: the full range

Wage percentiles, New MexicoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrNew Mexico: 10th $21.54 · 25th $22.82 · median $25.00 · 75th $28.89 · 90th $33.51New Mexico$25.00$21.54$33.51United States: 10th $20.28 · 25th $23.40 · median $28.78 · 75th $37.10 · 90th $48.60United States$28.78
Hourly wage percentiles for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators: New Mexico vs United States, May 2025.

New Mexico ranks 38th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 42nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.11). 5,520 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.54 – $22.82$44,800 – $47,470roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.82 – $28.89$47,470 – $60,090the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.89 – $33.51$60,090 – $69,690the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in New Mexico

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrFarmington: $26.53Farmington$26.53Santa Fe: $25.00Santa Fe$25.00Albuquerque: $24.59Albuquerque$24.59Las Cruces: $23.51Las Cruces$23.51
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in New Mexico, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Farmington$22.13$26.53$39.404806% above
Santa Fe$22.18$25.00$34.16140about the same as
Albuquerque$19.52$24.59$32.471,3302% below
Las Cruces$18.45$23.51$29.204406% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in New Mexico over time

New Mexico, 1999-2025New MexicoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$25.00New Mexico
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, New Mexico vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew Mexico $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.55$24.25$15.312,770
2000$14.01$26.19$15.993,970
2001$14.32$26.03$16.423,780
2002$14.69$26.29$16.943,240
2003$14.68$25.69$16.843,370
2004$15.47$26.37$17.003,290
2005$15.44$25.45$17.232,960
2006$15.54$24.82$17.743,190
2007$16.24$25.22$18.333,600
2008$16.74$25.03$18.884,150
2009$17.27$25.92$19.124,050
2010$17.27$25.50$19.423,900
2011$17.35$24.83$19.964,100
2012$17.61$24.69$20.134,470
2013$17.99$24.86$20.454,890
2014$19.34$26.30$20.925,240
2015$19.17$26.04$21.444,960
2016$18.92$25.38$22.064,300
2017$19.21$25.23$22.614,410
2018$19.88$25.49$22.984,210
2019$20.82$26.22$23.554,230
2020$22.83$28.40$23.934,480
2021$22.80$27.09$23.254,440
2022$22.94$25.24$24.734,660
2023$22.80$24.09$27.004,900
2024$23.62$24.24$28.235,000
2025$25.00$25.00$28.785,520

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in New Mexico changed by -4.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in New Mexico

On federally funded construction in New Mexico, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 1 of the 33 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $36.08 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $26.43). 25 of the 33 counties still use a survey rate dated 2010 or earlier (for example Catron County at $26.43). The market median for the state is $25.00.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NMBernalillo: $31.12 (survey)Catron: $26.43 (survey)Chaves: $26.43 (survey)Cibola: $22.26 (survey)Colfax: $22.26 (survey)Curry: $26.43 (survey)De Baca: $26.43 (survey)Doña Ana: $30.24 (survey)Eddy: $26.43 (survey)Grant: $36.08 (union)Guadalupe: $22.26 (survey)Harding: $22.26 (survey)Hidalgo: $26.43 (survey)Lea: $26.43 (survey)Lincoln: $26.50 (survey)Los Alamos: $22.26 (survey)Luna: $26.43 (survey)McKinley: $14.03 (survey)Mora: $22.26 (survey)Otero: $25.68 (survey)Quay: $22.26 (survey)Rio Arriba: $22.26 (survey)Roosevelt: $26.43 (survey)Sandoval: $33.13 (survey)San Juan: $30.24 (survey)San Miguel: $22.26 (survey)Santa Fe: $30.24 (survey)Sierra: $26.43 (survey)Socorro: $26.43 (survey)Taos: $22.26 (survey)Torrance: $33.13 (survey)Union: $22.26 (survey)Valencia: $33.13 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$22.26$26.28$26.43$30.24survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for heavy equipment operators by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$20$25$30$35/hrSandoval (Albuquerque): market median $24.59, prevailing (survey) $33.13, gap +$8.54Sandoval (Albuquerque)+$8.54Doña Ana (Las Cruces): market median $23.51, prevailing (survey) $30.24, gap +$6.73Doña Ana (Las Cruces)+$6.73Santa Fe (Santa Fe): market median $25.00, prevailing (survey) $30.24, gap +$5.24Santa Fe (Santa Fe)+$5.24San Juan (Farmington): market median $26.53, prevailing (survey) $30.24, gap +$3.71San Juan (Farmington)+$3.71
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in New Mexico.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
GrantUnion ENGI0953-006 2024-01-01$31.43$4.65$36.08NM20260019
SandovalSurvey SUNM2016-004 2018-09-26$27.97$5.16$33.13NM20260047
TorranceSurvey SUNM2016-006 2018-09-26$27.97$5.16$33.13NM20260049
ValenciaSurvey SUNM2016-006 2018-09-26$27.97$5.16$33.13NM20260049
BernalilloSurvey SUNM2016-001 2018-09-26$25.97$5.15$31.12NM20260044
Doña AnaSurvey SUNM2016-002 2018-09-26$25.73$4.51$30.24NM20260045
San JuanSurvey SUNM2016-003 2018-09-26$25.73$4.51$30.24NM20260046
Santa FeSurvey SUNM2016-005 2018-09-26$25.73$4.51$30.24NM20260048
LincolnSurvey SUNM2010-009 2010-11-09$23.89$2.61$26.50NM20260021
CatronSurvey SUNM2010-001 2010-11-09$22.13$4.30$26.43NM20260013
ChavesSurvey SUNM2010-002 2010-11-09$22.13$4.30$26.43NM20260014
CurrySurvey SUNM2010-004 2010-11-09$22.13$4.30$26.43NM20260016
De BacaSurvey SUNM2010-005 2010-11-09$22.13$4.30$26.43NM20260017
EddySurvey SUNM2010-006 2010-11-09$22.13$4.30$26.43NM20260018
HidalgoSurvey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09$22.13$4.30$26.43NM20260032

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 heavy equipment operators), 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

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New Mexico

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in New Mexico?

The median heavy equipment operator in New Mexico earned $25.00 an hour ($52,000 a year) in May 2025, 13% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $22.82–$28.89; the top 10% earn more than $33.51.

Where does New Mexico rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

New Mexico ranks 38th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $25.00 an hour, and 42nd after adjusting for New Mexico's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.2, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in New Mexico?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 1 counties, with a typical package of $36.08 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in New Mexico?

BLS counted 5,520 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in New Mexico in May 2025, 6.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 2.06; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Mexico and metro areas, SOC 47-2073.
  • 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.