How Much Does a CNA Make in Santa Fe, NM in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Santa Fe, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New Mexico.
BLS OES May 2025 · Santa Fe metro area
A typical CNA in Santa Fe, New Mexico earns $22.37 per hour, or $46,530 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,878 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,920, and the top 10% of earners make over $57,210.
That pay is 18% above the New Mexico figure of $39,390 and 10% above the national figure of $42,260. Santa Fe ranks 1st of 4 metro areas in New Mexico for CNA pay. About 410 CNAs work in the Santa Fe area.
CNA pay in Santa Fe at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.37 an hour, or $46,530 a year.
- That is 18% above the New Mexico figure, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,920; the top 10% make over $57,210.
- Typical pay rose +86% from 2015 to 2025, against +52% for New Mexico as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Santa Fe?
Pay in Santa Fe runs from entry-level positions at around $17.27 an hour to more than $27.51 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New Mexico and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Santa Fe
| Career stage | Santa Fe | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,920$17.27 an hour | $34,110$16.40 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $40,360$19.41 an hour | $37,310$17.94 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $46,530$22.37 an hour | $39,390$18.94 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,750$22.48 an hour | $45,410$21.83 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $57,210$27.51 an hour | $48,340$23.24 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Santa Fe area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Santa Fe
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Santa Fe area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Santa Fe was $25,000 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,530, a change of +86%, compared with +52% for New Mexico over the same years.
How Santa Fe compares with other New Mexico cities
Santa Fe pays CNAs the most of any metro area in New Mexico. The lowest-paying area in the state is Las Cruces at $37,400.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Santa Fe | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe | $46,530 | $22.37 | this city | 410 |
| 2 | Albuquerque | $39,950 | $19.21 | -14% | 2,110 |
| 3 | Farmington | $39,390 | $18.94 | -15% | 330 |
| 4 | Las Cruces | $37,400 | $17.98 | -20% | 390 |
Every metro area in New Mexico with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New Mexico typical pay $39,390
Is Santa Fe a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Santa Fe earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $46,530 a year, 10% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Santa Fe area, about 6.6 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.2. That makes CNAs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Santa Fe, NM?
- A typical CNA in Santa Fe earns $46,530 a year, or $22.37 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,920 and the top 10% earn over $57,210.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Santa Fe?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Santa Fe is $22.37. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.27, and the top 10% earn over $27.51 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Santa Fe?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Santa Fe typically offer around $17.27 an hour, or $35,920 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Santa Fe higher than in the rest of New Mexico?
- Santa Fe pay is 18% above the New Mexico figure of $39,390 a year, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.