How Much Does an LPN Make in Albuquerque, NM in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs in Albuquerque, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New Mexico.
BLS OES May 2025 · Albuquerque metro area
A typical LPN in Albuquerque, New Mexico earns $27.58 per hour, or $57,370 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,781 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,100, and the top 10% of earners make over $77,400.
That pay is 3% below the New Mexico figure of $59,330 and 11% below the national figure of $64,400. Albuquerque ranks 4th of 4 metro areas in New Mexico for LPN pay. About 1,420 LPNs work in the Albuquerque area.
LPN pay in Albuquerque at a glance
- Typical pay is $27.58 an hour, or $57,370 a year.
- That is 3% below the New Mexico figure, ranking 4th of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,100; the top 10% make over $77,400.
- Typical pay rose +20% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for New Mexico as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Albuquerque?
Pay in Albuquerque runs from entry-level positions at around $18.32 an hour to more than $37.21 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New Mexico and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Albuquerque
| Career stage | Albuquerque | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,100$18.32 an hour | $38,090$18.31 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $39,370$18.93 an hour | $39,370$18.93 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $57,370$27.58 an hour | $59,330$28.52 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $72,920$35.06 an hour | $73,090$35.14 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $77,400$37.21 an hour | $78,110$37.55 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Albuquerque area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Albuquerque
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Albuquerque area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Albuquerque was $47,720 a year. By 2025 it had reached $57,370, a change of +20%, compared with +27% for New Mexico over the same years.
How Albuquerque compares with other New Mexico cities
Santa Fe pays LPNs the most in New Mexico at $72,750 a year, $15,380 more than Albuquerque. The lowest-paying area in the state is Albuquerque at $57,370.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Albuquerque | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe | $72,750 | $34.98 | +27% | 70 |
| 2 | Farmington | $62,690 | $30.14 | +9% | 120 |
| 3 | Las Cruces | $61,670 | $29.65 | +7% | 250 |
| 4 | Albuquerque | $57,370 | $27.58 | this city | 1,420 |
Every metro area in New Mexico with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New Mexico typical pay $59,330
Is Albuquerque a good place to work as an LPN?
LPNs in Albuquerque earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $57,370 a year, 11% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Albuquerque area, about 3.5 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.2. That makes LPNs 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 an LPN make in Albuquerque, NM?
- A typical LPN in Albuquerque earns $57,370 a year, or $27.58 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,100 and the top 10% earn over $77,400.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Albuquerque?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Albuquerque is $27.58. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.32, and the top 10% earn over $37.21 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Albuquerque?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Albuquerque typically offer around $18.32 an hour, or $38,100 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Albuquerque higher than in the rest of New Mexico?
- Albuquerque pay is 3% below the New Mexico figure of $59,330 a year, ranking 4th of 4 metro areas in the state. Santa Fe pays the most in New Mexico at $72,750.