Security Guards Salary in New Mexico
The median for security guards in New Mexico is $43,320 a year, somewhat above the national $38,020 (+14%); the state ranks 12th of 51 states by median. That is 8% less than the median across all occupations in New Mexico ($47,210). Among neighbouring states, Colorado pays more (up to $45,150 in Colorado) and Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas pay less (down to $35,980 in Texas). New Mexico employs 8,410 security guards, 9.66 per 1,000 jobs, the 34th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.17 is close to the national share.
New Mexico vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $14.53 | $17.10 | $20.83 | $25.74 | $31.17 | $22.26 | 8,410 | 9.66 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $30,220 | $35,570 | $43,320 | $53,530 | $64,840 | $46,300 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.52 | $16.93 | $18.28 | $22.21 | $28.29 | $20.42 | 1,283,470 | – | – |
| Annual | $30,210 | $35,210 | $38,020 | $46,200 | $58,840 | $42,470 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 12th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 34th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.17
- Jobs per 1,000
- 9.66
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of New Mexico's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in New Mexico
4 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching New Mexico publish a row for security guards, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | $21.53 | $44,780 | $30,880 | $64,340 | 4,440 | 10.97 | 1.33 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $19.70 | $40,980 | $32,000 | $60,600 | 630 | 10.18 | 1.23 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $17.79 | $37,010 | $26,610 | $61,240 | 650 | 8.07 | 0.98 |
| Farmington, NM | $17.70 | $36,820 | $24,960 | $62,540 | 500 | 10.59 | 1.28 |
| Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $22.19 | $46,160 | $30,890 | $90,440 | 1,050 | 12.45 | 1.51 |
| Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $19.61 | $40,780 | $29,860 | $59,390 | 970 | 5.80 | 0.70 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the New Mexico wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS New Mexico estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.