Auto mechanic salary in New Mexico
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in New Mexico earn a median of $47,300 a year, or $22.74 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $77,850. Nationally the median is $50,620, so New Mexico pays 7% less than the U.S. overall and ranks 43rd of 51.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $14.61/hr
- Jobs in New Mexico
- 5,080
- After cost of living
- $51,290
- Median hourly pay
- $22.74/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −7%
- Rank among states
- 43rd of 51
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $30,390–$36,500$14.61–$17.55/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $47,300$22.74/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $63,050–$77,850$30.31–$37.43/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
Pay over time
The median auto mechanic wage in New Mexico rose 24.7%, from $37,920 in May 2021 to $47,300 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 4.5%.
| Year | Median a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,920 | $18.23/hr |
| May 2022 | $38,530 | $18.53/hr |
| May 2023 | $44,030 | $21.17/hr |
| May 2024 | $47,040 | $22.61/hr |
| May 2025 | $47,300 | $22.74/hr |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, each May release; inflation from the BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, May of each year). BLS cautions against reading much into year-to-year changes, so we compare the first and last years. How we compare years
How New Mexico compares
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in New Mexico than nationally: 5.8 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $77,850, is 2.6 times the 10th-percentile wage, $30,390: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural New Mexico
- Eastern New Mexico$45,270
- Northern New Mexico$41,690
Other trades in New Mexico
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in New Mexico?
- Auto mechanics in New Mexico earn a median of $47,300 a year, or $22.74 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $77,850.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in New Mexico?
- The median hourly wage is $22.74. The middle half earn between $17.55 and $30.31 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in New Mexico?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $14.61 an hour ($30,390 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $17.55.
- Has auto mechanic pay gone up in New Mexico?
- The median auto mechanic wage in New Mexico rose 24.7%, from $37,920 in May 2021 to $47,300 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 4.5%. (BLS wage data and Consumer Price Index.)
- Where in New Mexico do auto mechanics earn the most?
- Among New Mexico metro areas, Santa Fe has the highest median at $55,640 a year, and Las Cruces the lowest at $45,690.
- Do auto mechanics in New Mexico earn more than the national average?
- The New Mexico median of $47,300 is 7% less than the U.S. median of $50,620. Prices in New Mexico run 8% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $51,290 would nationally.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3023 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics), area code 35. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed auto mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (92.2, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures