Rio Rancho Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Rio Rancho, NM: $23.11/hr median hourly wage, $48,060 median annual salary, cost of living index 93, and $12.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and New Mexico taxes.
Rio Rancho Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Rio Rancho, NM is $23.11/hr,and the median annual wage is $48,060. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.33/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $32.82/hr, and the local minimum wage is $12.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albuquerque, NM metropolitan statistical area (404,700 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Rio Rancho shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$48,060
$23.11/hr
Cost of Living
93
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$12.00
per hour
Unemployment
3.2%
rate
Rio Rancho, NM Overview
Population
104,046
Median Salary
$48,060
Average Salary
$64,480
Avg Commute
25 min
Median Home Price
$285,000
Median Rent
$1,100/mo
Job Growth
+2%
Sales Tax
7.31%
Rio Rancho is located in New Mexico with a population of 104,046. The median annual wage across all occupations is $48,060 ($23.11/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Albuquerque, NM metro), which is $2,920 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 25 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2%.
Rio Rancho Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Rio Rancho, NM built around the $48,060 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albuquerque, NM metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $29,797 | $14.33/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $48,060 | $23.11/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $68,245 | $32.82/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $85,547 | $41.14/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Rio Rancho Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Rio Rancho, NM, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$39,697
$3,308.08/month · $1,526.81/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.4%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,526.81 take-home per paycheck after estimated New Mexico and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$48,060
Federal Tax
-$3,587
State Tax
-$1,099
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,677
Net Pay
$39,697
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,005.00 | $48,060.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$298.93 | -$3,587.20 |
| New Mexico State Tax (2.29% eff.) | -$91.61 | -$1,099.28 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$248.31 | -$2,979.72 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$58.07 | -$696.87 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,308.08 | $39,696.93 |
Salary Comparison: Rio Rancho vs Other Cities
See how Rio Rancho's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Rancho, NM | $48,060 | 93 | $51,677 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $48,060 | 92 | $52,239 |
| Chico, CA | $48,050 | 112.3 | $42,787 |
| Elkhart, IN | $48,070 | 89.6 | $53,650 |
| Goshen, IN | $48,070 | 83.4 | $57,638 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho's cost of living index is 93 (national average = 100). Living in Rio Rancho is 7% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$285,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,100
Annual Rent Cost
$13,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $39,697 annual take-home pay in Rio Rancho has the purchasing power of approximately $42,685 in an average-cost US area. Your $48,060 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $48,060.
Salary Tips for Rio Rancho Workers
- Maximize pre-tax deductions. With a top 5.9% state income tax rate, maximizing 401(k) contributions (up to $24,500 in 2026) and HSA contributions can significantly reduce both your federal and state tax burden.
- Research top industries. Rio Rancho's top industries include Technology, Manufacturing, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $48,060 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in New Mexico
Roswell
Santa Fe
South Valley
Alamogordo
Albuquerque
Carlsbad
Clovis
Farmington
Hobbs
Las Cruces
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Rio Rancho salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Rio Rancho indexed at 93.
- Median salary: $48,060 annual, $23.11 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albuquerque, NM MSA (404,700 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $64,480 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Rio Rancho was $58,000.
- Tax burden reflects New Mexico 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 5.9%) (no local income tax), sales tax (7.31%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Rio Rancho: 3.2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Technology, Manufacturing, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for New Mexico.
- Housing context: median home price $285,000, median rent $1,100/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Rio Rancho, NM:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Rio Rancho unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Rio Rancho QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, New Mexico, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Rio Rancho's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent New Mexico labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Rio Rancho, NM?
The median hourly wage in Rio Rancho, NM is $23.11 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $48,060. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.33/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $32.82/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Rio Rancho, NM?
The median salary in Rio Rancho, NM is $48,060 per year, or $23.11 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Albuquerque, NM metro area). The BLS mean salary is $64,480. This is $2,920 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Rio Rancho, NM?
Rio Rancho's cost of living index is 93 (national average = 100), meaning it is 7% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $285,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,100.
What are the best industries in Rio Rancho?
The top industries in Rio Rancho, NM include Technology, Manufacturing, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 2% and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $48,060.
How does Rio Rancho's salary compare to other cities?
Rio Rancho's median salary of $48,060 is 5.7% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 93), the real purchasing power is approximately $51,677.
What is the minimum wage in Rio Rancho, NM?
The minimum wage in Rio Rancho, NM is $12.00 per hour. This equals approximately $24,960 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $4.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.