Plasterer salary in New Mexico
Median $21.80 an hour for 460 plasterers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Plasterer pay in New Mexico: the full range
New Mexico ranks 28th of 28 states for median plasterer pay, and 24th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $23.64). 460 plasterers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $18.00 – $18.00 | $37,440 – $37,440 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $18.00 – $26.94 | $37,440 – $56,040 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $26.94 – $29.52 | $56,040 – $61,410 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Plasterer pay by metro in New Mexico
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | $21.85 | $27.47 | $27.80 | $29.74 | 60 | 26% above |
| Albuquerque | $18.00 | $18.01 | $18.86 | $29.52 | 320 | 17% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Plasterer wages in New Mexico over time
Table
| Year | New Mexico $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $11.94 | $23.07 | $14.48 | 970 |
| 2000 | $12.95 | $24.21 | $16.00 | 930 |
| 2001 | $12.87 | $23.40 | $15.79 | 830 |
| 2002 | $13.21 | $23.64 | $15.91 | 890 |
| 2003 | $12.09 | $21.15 | $15.90 | 1,030 |
| 2004 | $12.00 | $20.45 | $15.60 | 970 |
| 2005 | $12.93 | $21.31 | $16.08 | 830 |
| 2006 | $14.85 | $23.71 | $16.68 | 870 |
| 2007 | $13.94 | $21.64 | $17.52 | 910 |
| 2008 | $13.77 | $20.59 | $18.01 | 760 |
| 2009 | $14.83 | $22.25 | $18.16 | 720 |
| 2010 | $15.61 | $23.05 | $17.89 | 720 |
| 2011 | $16.15 | $23.11 | $17.71 | 800 |
| 2012 | $15.28 | $21.43 | $17.85 | 630 |
| 2013 | $15.03 | $20.77 | $17.64 | 430 |
| 2014 | $14.21 | $19.32 | $18.05 | 420 |
| 2015 | $14.03 | $19.06 | $17.94 | 370 |
| 2016 | $15.47 | $20.75 | $18.70 | 440 |
| 2017 | $16.91 | $22.21 | $19.59 | 530 |
| 2018 | $18.16 | $23.28 | $20.93 | 540 |
| 2019 | $18.62 | $23.45 | $21.85 | 440 |
| 2020 | $19.49 | $24.24 | $22.61 | 290 |
| 2021 | $17.80 | $21.15 | $23.24 | 490 |
| 2022 | $19.49 | $21.44 | $23.91 | 340 |
| 2023 | $21.39 | $22.60 | $25.31 | 350 |
| 2024 | $22.70 | $23.30 | $26.93 | 350 |
| 2025 | $21.80 | $21.80 | $27.72 | 460 |
In today's dollars, the median plasterer wage in New Mexico changed by +14.4% over the last ten years of data and by -7.0% since 2019.
Are there more plasterer jobs in New Mexico?
BLS counted 460 plasterers in New Mexico in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 26%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for plasterers in New Mexico
New Mexico's labor market agency projects the number of plasterers in the state to change by +6.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 400 to 430, with about 30 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +2.8% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 460 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 plasterers in New Mexico
On federally funded construction in New Mexico, contractors must pay plasterers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 1 of the 27 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $35.50 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.16). 26 of the 27 counties still use a survey rate dated 2010 or earlier (for example Catron County at $24.80). The market median for the state is $21.80.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo | Union PLAS0254-001 2024-01-01 | $24.31 | $11.19 | $35.50 | NM20260044 |
| Catron | Survey SUNM2010-001 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260013 |
| Chaves | Survey SUNM2010-002 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260014 |
| Curry | Survey SUNM2010-004 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260016 |
| De Baca | Survey SUNM2010-005 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260017 |
| Eddy | Survey SUNM2010-006 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260018 |
| Grant | Survey SUNM2010-007 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260019 |
| Hidalgo | Survey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260032 |
| Lea | Survey SUNM2010-008 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260020 |
| Lincoln | Survey SUNM2010-009 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260021 |
| Luna | Survey SUNM2010-011 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260023 |
| Roosevelt | Survey SUNM2010-015 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260027 |
| Sierra | Survey SUNM2010-020 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260032 |
| Socorro | Survey SUNM2010-017 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $7.15 | $24.80 | NM20260029 |
| McKinley | Survey SUNM2010-012 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.88 | $23.53 | NM20260024 |
| Cibola | Survey SUNM2010-019 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260031 |
| Colfax | Survey SUNM2010-003 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260015 |
| Guadalupe | Survey SUNM2010-019 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260031 |
| Harding | Survey SUNM2010-019 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260031 |
| Los Alamos | Survey SUNM2010-010 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260022 |
| Mora | Survey SUNM2010-019 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260031 |
| Quay | Survey SUNM2010-019 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260031 |
| Rio Arriba | Survey SUNM2010-014 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260026 |
| San Miguel | Survey SUNM2010-016 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260028 |
| Taos | Survey SUNM2010-019 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260031 |
| Union | Survey SUNM2010-018 2010-11-09 | $17.65 | $5.29 | $22.94 | NM20260030 |
| Otero | Survey SUNM2010-013 2010-11-09 | $12.00 | $0.00 | $12.00 | NM20260025 |
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?
Keep comparing
Plasterer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Mexico
More on New Mexico
Questions this page answers
How much do plasterers make in New Mexico?
The median plasterer in New Mexico earned $21.80 an hour ($45,350 a year) in May 2025, 21% below the national median of $27.72. The middle half earn $18.00–$26.94; the top 10% earn more than $29.52.
Where does New Mexico rank for plasterer pay?
New Mexico ranks 28th of 28 states for plasterer pay, with a median of $21.80 an hour, and 24th after adjusting for New Mexico's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.2, US = 100).
What is the union plasterer rate in New Mexico?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plasterers in 1 counties, with a typical package of $35.50 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many plasterers work in New Mexico?
BLS counted 460 plasterers in New Mexico in May 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 4.28; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is plasterer work growing in New Mexico?
New Mexico's labor market agency projects +6.4% growth for plasterers between 2024 and 2034, from 400 to 430 jobs.
How many plasterer openings a year are there in New Mexico?
New Mexico projects about 30 openings a year for plasterers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 1,500 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Mexico and metro areas, SOC 47-2161. 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.