How Much Does an MRI Tech Make in New Mexico in 2026?

A typical MRI Tech in New Mexico earns about $42.24 per hour ($87,850 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $7,321 a month and $1,689 a week, calculated from the annual figure. These figures describe pay across the state as a whole, covering hospitals, imaging centers, and clinics alike.

That pay sits 8 percent below the national figure of $95,480 a year, and New Mexico ranks 30th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia for MRI Tech pay. About 140 MRI Techs work in the state, a small workforce compared with the 43,390 employed nationwide. Lower pay here tracks the state's generally lower cost of living.

Entry-level positions in New Mexico typically offer around $36.07 an hour ($75,030 a year), according to the latest wage data. Pay for techs with a bit more experience often runs closer to $37.93 an hour ($78,900 a year). From there, pay generally moves toward the state's typical figure of $87,850 a year within the first few years on the job.

Experienced MRI Techs in New Mexico often earn upwards of $45.91 an hour ($95,480 a year), and the top 10% make over $47.86 an hour ($99,550 a year). That leaves a spread of $24,520 between entry-level and top-earning MRI Techs in the state. Setting, years of experience, and which city a tech works in all play into where someone falls in that range.

New Mexico's typical MRI Tech pay rose from $68,070 in 2015 to $87,850 in 2025, a gain of $19,780. That's a 29 percent increase over the decade, with most of the rise coming after 2020. Pay dipped slightly between 2024 and 2025, from $88,530 to $87,850, but the overall decade trend still points up.

Nationally, MRI Tech pay climbed 41 percent over the same decade, a faster pace than New Mexico's rise. That gap doesn't undo the state's gains; pay for MRI Techs here is still well above where it stood ten years ago. For someone starting out now, the decade of data shows steady upward movement, though nothing about future pay is guaranteed.

Pay for MRI Techs in New Mexico is fairly uniform across the state, since published wage data covers only the Albuquerque metro area rather than individual towns. There, a typical MRI Tech earns $87,850 a year ($42.24 an hour), matching the statewide figure exactly. Albuquerque is also home to the largest MRI Tech workforce in New Mexico, with about 90 of the state's 140 total positions.

Because Albuquerque is the only city with separately reported figures, there's no meaningful city-to-city spread to compare within New Mexico. Pay in smaller towns and rural parts of the state likely runs somewhat lower, in step with lower living costs outside the Albuquerque area. Anyone job-hunting outside a metro area should expect the statewide figures to be a rough guide rather than an exact match.

New Mexico's MRI Tech pay trails every one of its neighbors. Colorado pays the most at $105,380 a year, about 20 percent higher, followed by Arizona at $100,600 (15 percent higher) and Texas at $96,780 (10 percent higher). Oklahoma is the closest match at $87,480, essentially even with New Mexico. MRI licensure and registry credentials earned in one of these states can often be endorsed or transferred into another, which can simplify a move across state lines.

A typical MRI Tech in New Mexico earns $87,850 a year ($42.24 an hour), up 29 percent, or $19,780, over the past decade. That puts the state below the national figure but on a steady upward trend. Anyone considering the field should check New Mexico's licensing and registry requirements through the state's radiologic technology board, and look at city-level pages for local figures before deciding where to work.