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State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023

Teacher Salary in New Mexico

New Mexico's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (2.94x) ranks #12 of 47, upper-third dispersion. According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available for every public school district in New Mexico.

$69,282
Est. state avg salary

Near benchmark

-1.4%
vs national
#20
National rank
89
Districts

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$69,282/year (est.)

New Mexico's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (2.94x) ranks #12 of 47, upper-third dispersion. Estimated average teacher salary is $69,282, below the national average of $70,245, ranking #20 of 49, across 70 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Wide district pay spread: New Mexico's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (2.94x) ranks #12 of 47, upper-third dispersion.
  • middle third nationally (#20 of 49)
  • New Mexico ranks #20 of 49 on the salary estimate and #36 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • $97,651 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -1.4% vs the national average
  • #20 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 91.0)

Purchasing-power-adjusted rank for New Mexico

New Mexico's nominal average teacher salary ranks #20 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (91.0, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $78,584, ranking #20 of 49 , unchanged from the nominal rank. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download. BEA Regional Price Parities · NCES CCD F-33

New Mexico in the teacher-salary distribution

FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking

$69,282 Top 41% higher than 59% of 49 reporting states and territories

Show national distribution $0–$5,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 6 reporting states and territories (12%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 9 reporting states and territories (18%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 7 reporting states and territories (14%). This entry sits in this band. $70,000–$75,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 reporting states and territories (8%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $115,000–$120,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $120,000–$125,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. New Mexico $0 $125,000 reporting state salary estimates, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more reporting states and territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey; state estimates derived from reported instructional-salary expenditure and teacher FTE · FY2023

Highest-paying districts in New Mexico

Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)

Est. avg salary

What this shows Penasco Independent Schools leads New Mexico on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

Top 3 districts

1 $148,037

Penasco Independent Schools

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $96,768

Pecos Independent Schools

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $85,956

Tatum Municipal Schools

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
Penasco Independent Schools $148,037 284 $27,884
Pecos Independent Schools $96,768 511 $19,569
Tatum Municipal Schools $85,956 298 $26,836
Zuni Public Schools $83,041 1,095 $26,402
Cobre Consolidated Schools $79,777 1,023 $23,966
Carlsbad Municipal Schools $76,924 7,102 $21,146
Gadsden Independent Schools $76,866 12,551 $19,545
Hobbs Municipal Schools $76,536 9,990 $17,124
Roswell Independent Schools $75,752 9,701 $18,006
Central Consolidated Schools $75,624 5,037 $26,907
Cuba Independent Schools $75,190 746 $35,326
Los Lunas Public Schools $75,171 8,234 $15,531
Gallup-mckinley Cty Schools $74,947 11,709 $25,191
Albuquerque Public Schools $74,657 79,805 $17,560
Belen Consolidated Schools $74,165 3,602 $17,016
Las Cruces Public Schools $74,033 23,075 $16,818
Lovington Municipal Schools $73,839 3,382 $17,104
Dora Municipal Schools $72,763 219 $34,114
Jal Public Schools $72,122 527 $47,829
Mountainair Public Schools $71,856 210 $32,919
Bernalillo Public Schools $71,241 2,786 $23,356
Logan Municipal Schools $71,228 317 $18,729
Las Vegas City Public Schools $71,136 1,202 $21,023
Socorro Consolidated Schools $70,856 1,438 $20,184
Moriarty-edgewood School District $70,803 2,331 $19,366
Dulce Independent Schools $70,569 521 $31,150
Rio Rancho Public Schools $69,938 17,272 $14,326
Mora Independent Schools $69,417 433 $25,203
Santa Fe Public Schools $69,201 11,769 $20,062
Melrose Public Schools $68,886 295 $17,607
Aztec Municipal Schools $68,843 2,562 $16,530
Tularosa Municipal Schools $68,826 890 $23,649
West Las Vegas Public Schools $68,118 1,555 $21,842
Clovis Municipal Schools $68,063 7,664 $14,638
Alamogordo Public Schools $67,371 5,575 $15,270
Tucumcari Public Schools $67,274 907 $18,861
Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools $67,244 603 $22,927
Portales Municipal Schools $67,016 2,610 $17,833
Clayton Municipal Schools $66,742 395 $20,625
Ruidoso Municipal Schools $66,547 1,820 $18,403
Artesia Public Schools $66,358 3,722 $17,804
Cimarron Municipal Schools $65,951 401 $33,663
Loving Municipal Schools $65,723 647 $26,201
Cloudcroft Municipal Schools $65,687 379 $22,997
Los Alamos Public Schools $65,518 3,724 $16,194
Estancia Municipal Schools $65,507 539 $23,523
T Or C Municipal Schools $64,673 1,287 $19,075
Bloomfield Schools $64,668 2,584 $17,164
Eunice Municipal Schools $64,505 726 $28,085
Mesa Vista Consolidated Schools $64,278 246 $24,374
Raton Public Schools $64,132 844 $17,291
Lordsburg Municipal Schools $64,039 425 $24,127
Fort Sumner Municipal Schools $63,860 273 $24,725
Capitan Municipal Schools $63,793 471 $20,350
Texico Municipal Schools $63,684 551 $16,508
Dexter Consolidated Schools $63,589 812 $22,925
Taos Municipal Schools $62,124 2,267 $20,461
Floyd Municipal Schools $61,952 228 $17,618
Grants-cibola County Schools $61,566 3,211 $21,543
Pojoaque Valley Public Schools $60,658 1,630 $16,046
Silver Consolidated Schools $60,442 2,273 $17,481
Hatch Valley Public Schools $59,651 1,166 $22,431
Jemez Valley Public Schools $59,491 359 $28,170
Magdalena Municipal Schools $58,488 285 $32,565
Deming Public Schools $58,109 5,366 $16,131
Questa Independent Schools $58,000 326 $23,577
Espanola Public Schools $57,505 2,954 $18,138
Farmington Municipal Schools $56,733 11,201 $13,880
Chama Valley Indep. Schools $55,319 363 $24,523
Hagerman Municipal Schools $50,386 368 $22,288

Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.

Lowest-Paying Districts in New Mexico

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment
Hagerman Municipal Schools $50,386 368
Chama Valley Indep. Schools $55,319 363
Farmington Municipal Schools $56,733 11,201
Espanola Public Schools $57,505 2,954
Questa Independent Schools $58,000 326
Deming Public Schools $58,109 5,366
Magdalena Municipal Schools $58,488 285
Jemez Valley Public Schools $59,491 359
Hatch Valley Public Schools $59,651 1,166
Silver Consolidated Schools $60,442 2,273

Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.

Nationwide peers near New Mexico's smaller K-12 scale

Two nationwide peer sets for New Mexico: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($69,282 here) and closest on total student enrollment (293,912 here). Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not geographic containment.

Similar estimated salary

Nearest other states by unweighted district-mean teacher pay (F-33 derived, ≥5 districts with reliable estimates).

Similar enrollment

Nearest other states by NCES-reported K-12 enrollment. Salary peers above are excluded.

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

Hawaii
$75,494
Rank #17
Vermont
$72,015
Rank #18
Wisconsin
$70,465
Rank #19
Alabama
$68,221
Rank #21

Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2023. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.

New Mexico teacher salary FAQ

What is the average teacher salary in New Mexico?

Across 70 New Mexico public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $69,282 (NCES CCD F-33 reported teacher salaries divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2023). It is a district-level mean derived from finance filings, so it will not match a contract-salary survey exactly, read it as a relative comparison.

Which New Mexico school district pays teachers the most?

Penasco Independent Schools reports the highest average teacher salary in New Mexico at $148,037, while Hagerman Municipal Schools sits at the lower end at $50,386.

How does New Mexico teacher pay compare to the national average?

New Mexico's average of $69,282 is below the national average of $70,245 (-1.4%), ranking #20 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.

How many school districts are in New Mexico?

New Mexico has 89 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 293,912 students.

How much do teachers make in New Mexico?

District-average teacher pay in New Mexico runs from $50,386 in Hagerman Municipal Schools to $148,037 in Penasco Independent Schools, with 1 of 70 reliable-data districts at $100,000 or above. Where a teacher lands depends far more on which district employs them than on the statewide figure. These are district-wide averages from NCES CCD F-33 (FY2023), not individual salaries or pay-scale steps.

Can teachers earn $100,000 in New Mexico?

1 of 70 New Mexico districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Penasco Independent Schools at $148,037. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.

How does New Mexico rank after adjusting for cost of living?

Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (91.0, US=100) adjusts New Mexico's nominal estimate of $71,496 from #25 to $78,584 and #20. The headline uses an unweighted district mean, so this does not replace it. Neither measure is take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.

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Disclaimer & data sources

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for New Mexico