Statewide pay Government data
Electrical lineworkers in New Mexico earn a statewide median of $76,470 a year, 21% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #47 of 50 states and DC. About 1,020 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near New Mexico
See all states on the electrical lineworkers nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes electrical lineworker pay for 3 New Mexico metros: Albuquerque, Farmington and Las Cruces.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlbuquerqueNEW MEXICO · NM | $79,240 | $82,934 | 360 |
| FarmingtonNEW MEXICO · NM | $77,650 | $88,533 | 120 |
| Las CrucesNEW MEXICO · NM | $59,530 | $65,989 | 60 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for New Mexico's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,900 openings a year. Typical training: long-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, electrical lineworkers have 177 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.0× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is overexertion and repetitive strain.
What the work is like Government data
How often electrical lineworkers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Where to train in New Mexico Government data
8 schools in New Mexico offer electrical and power line installer programs below the bachelor's level. Many people in this trade learn through an apprenticeship instead; a program can shorten it or get you hired as a helper.
| School | Credential | Yearly cost | Recent grads | First-year pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque, NM · Public | Certificate | $14,097 | 109 | — |
| New Mexico State University-Dona Ana Las Cruces, NM · Public | Certificate | $10,714 | 22 | — |
| Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque, NM · Public | Associate degree | $14,097 | 17 | — |
| Navajo Technical University Crownpoint, NM · Public | Certificate | $13,681 | 6 | — |
| Luna Community College Las Vegas, NM · Public | Certificate | $25,699 | 0 | — |
| New Mexico State University-Grants Grants, NM · Public | Certificate | $10,978 | 0 | — |
| New Mexico State University-Grants Grants, NM · Public | Associate degree | $10,978 | 0 | — |
| Northern New Mexico College Espanola, NM · Public | Certificate | $17,210 | 0 | — |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (data updated October 2026). Cost is the school's average yearly cost of attendance before financial aid; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, shown only where the school has enough graduates to publish. “—” means not published.
Licensing in New Mexico Official source
The main state licensing office in New Mexico is the New Mexico Construction Industries Division. It can point you to the right license for electrical lineworkers.
Official New Mexico licensing site ↗
Requirements for electrical lineworkers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 6.1% of wage and salary workers in New Mexico were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#33 of 51 states and D.C.), and 7.9% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only electrical lineworkers.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in New Mexico
All trades in New Mexico.