Despite a struggling economy in recent years, healthcare remains a bright spot in New Mexico, adding jobs and earning a reputation for its strong employment gains. Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, more than 200,000 low-income working adults began receiving insurance in New Mexico. As a result, healthcare accounted for two-thirds of all job growth in the state between 2014 and 2016.
For medical practitioners and support professionals, this impressive growth means exciting professional opportunities and strong salaries to match.
For example, according to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, there were 6,460 medical assistants in the state in 2019; by 2021, this number is expected to increase by about 150 – a growth rate of 2.2% in just a few, short years.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Mexico’s medical assistants earned an hourly wage of $14.73, or $30,640 annually in 2019. Once you’ve earned a few years of experience and the CMA designation, you’ll soon find your salary increasing toward the top 10% here, who earned an average of $19.82, or about $41,230 annually.
Average Hourly Wages for Medical Assistants in New Mexico’s Metro Areas
The clear winner for earning power is the Santa Fe metro area, where medical assistants earn, on average, about $4-$5 more hourly than their peers in other metro areas.
The following BLS stats reveal the median – top 10% hourly wage range for medical assistants in New Mexico’s largest metro areas:
- Albuquerque: $14.93 – $19.77 (approximately 4,020 medical assistants)
- Las Cruces: $13.04 – $18.27 (approximately 680 medical assistants)
- Santa Fe: $17.86 – $23.12 (approximately 540 medical assistants)
Average Salaries for Medical Assistants in New Mexico’s Metro Areas
BLS stats indicate what medical assistants are earning in the median – top 10% salary range in New Mexico’s largest metro areas:
- Albuquerque: $31,050 – $41,110
- Las Cruces: $27,120 – $38,010
- Santa Fe: $37,140 – $48,080
US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for medical assistants represents state data not school-specific information.
2019 job growth projections from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions are aggregated through the U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource, Projections Central.
Conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and employment data accessed May 2020.