In 2023, the median state and local government worker in New Mexico earned $29.65 an hour against $25.40 in the private sector, a gap of +17%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $59.10 against $62.32 privately (-5%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Admin and clerical (-4%) and Management (+10%), and government pay holds up best in Management (+10%) and Admin and clerical (-4%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in New Mexico by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $29.65 | $25.40 | +17% | $59.10 | $62.32 | -5% |
| Admin and clerical | $20.63 | $21.49 | -4% | $40.25 | $32.23 | +25% |
| Education * | $30.40 | $24.62 | +23% | $42.16 | $53.38 | -21% |
| Engineering * | $54.55 | $62.55 | -13% | $85.96 | $85.67 | 0% |
| Finance * | $31.21 | $27.52 | +13% | $44.82 | $64.15 | -30% |
| Healthcare * | $37.61 | $40.29 | -7% | $154.43 | $89.54 | +72% |
| Legal * | $44.24 | $39.77 | +11% | $69.21 | $196.34 | -65% |
| Management | $40.29 | $36.67 | +10% | $75.93 | $85.96 | -12% |
| Protective service * | $32.23 | $17.72 | +82% | $51.87 | $37.22 | +39% |
| Skilled trades * | $25.98 | $26.86 | -3% | $50.74 | $48.35 | +5% |
| Software and IT * | $45.67 | $42.98 | +6% | $74.12 | $76.23 | -3% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.