Fastest-growing jobs in New Mexico
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in New Mexico. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in New Mexico.
#50. Sales managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (130 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,110
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $105,010
#49. Security guards
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (880 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,490
--- Employment in 2022: 6,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,250
#48. Registered nurses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (2,120 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 18,030
--- Employment in 2022: 15,910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $83,970
#47. Wellhead pumpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.3% (140 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,090
#46. Cooks, restaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.5% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,350
--- Employment in 2022: 8,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,150
#45. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (960 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,020
--- Employment in 2022: 7,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,610
#44. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.2% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,700
--- Employment in 2022: 3,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,740
#43. Bakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.4% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,330
#42. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.4% (1,030 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,160
--- Employment in 2022: 7,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,120
#41. Office clerks, general
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.5% (1,930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 15,260
--- Employment in 2022: 13,330
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,000
#40. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.6% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,030
--- Employment in 2022: 4,390
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,960
#39. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.6% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,150
--- Employment in 2022: 1,860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,080
#38. Insurance sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.6% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Employment in 2022: 1,730
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,750
#37. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.1% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,730
--- Employment in 2022: 1,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,370
#36. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.8% (3,650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 25,320
--- Employment in 2022: 21,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,740
#35. Architectural and engineering managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.0% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $184,300
#34. Nuclear engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.8% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $132,320
#33. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,240
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,570
#32. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.4% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $43,750
#31. Self-enrichment teachers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.8% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,010
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,260
#30. Community health workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.9% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $65,920
#29. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.4% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,230
--- Employment in 2022: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,870
#28. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.6% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,220
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,790
#27. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.4% (480 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,830
--- Employment in 2022: 2,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,580
#26. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,950
--- Employment in 2022: 1,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,530
#25. Training and development specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.3% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,350
--- Employment in 2022: 1,890
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $62,190
#24. Food service managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.4% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,580
--- Employment in 2022: 1,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,540
#23. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.6% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,560
#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.8% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,490
--- Employment in 2022: 1,980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $67,080
#21. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.7% (460 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,280
#20. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.1% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,100
--- Employment in 2022: 2,420
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,580
#19. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.9% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,720
--- Employment in 2022: 2,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,200
#18. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.0% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,850
--- Employment in 2022: 2,210
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,040
#17. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.0% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,890
--- Employment in 2022: 2,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,470
#16. Speech-language pathologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.3% (240 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,060
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,890
#15. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.0% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,300
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,700
#14. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +32.2% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,930
--- Employment in 2022: 1,460
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,490
#13. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.3% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,540
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,380
#12. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +36.4% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,050
--- Employment in 2022: 770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,620
#11. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.4% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,320
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,810
#10. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.7% (530 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,770
--- Employment in 2022: 1,240
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,250
#9. Roustabouts, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +44.9% (1,150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,710
--- Employment in 2022: 2,560
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,720
#8. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +47.6% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,450
#7. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.2% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,890
--- Employment in 2022: 1,250
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $102,500
#6. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.6% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,910
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $36,800
#5. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.3% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,250
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,590
#4. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +56.9% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $103,420
#3. Software developers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +65.5% (1,690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,270
--- Employment in 2022: 2,580
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $126,560
#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +72.3% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Employment in 2022: 650
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,990
#1. Derrick operators, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +94.5% (520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 550
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,330
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
