Physical Therapist · New Mexico · SOC 29-1123
Physical Therapist Salary in New Mexico (2026)
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- BLS reports New Mexico PT median pay at $101,130. Adjusted for state cost of living, real purchasing power equals $111,155.
- Nominal: #17/51 · Real: #6/51 — ranking shifts by 11 positions after RPP.
- Cost of living below the national index lifts real wage by $10,025 over the nominal — a take-home arbitrage that nominal-ranking tables miss.
- P25-P75 spread runs $75,860 to $123,640; P10 floor $57,040, P90 ceiling $137,040.
- New Mexico is a PT Compact member: cross-state practice via Compact Privilege rather than full re-licensure.
Wage breakdown — New Mexico
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $57,040 | $62,694 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $75,860 | $83,380 |
| P50 (median) | $101,130 | $111,155 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $123,640 | $135,897 |
| P90 (top tier) | $137,040 | $150,625 |
| Mean | $99,360 | $109,210 |
| Employment | 1,350 PTs in New Mexico | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | New Mexico index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 91.0 |
| Goods | 97.4 |
| Services | 77.9 |
| Rents | 75.3 |
New Mexico sits below the national baseline (RPP 91.0), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 75.3.
After-tax take-home — New Mexico (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (PT) | $101,130 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,496 | 13.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$3,843 | 1.7–5.9% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,736 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $76,055 | 75.2% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $83,594 | ÷ (91.0 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the New Mexico state-tax burden means for PT take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 3.8% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $76,055 (75.2% of gross). After the 91.0 RPP, real take-home is $83,594.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $101,020 for PTs with mean pay of $102,400 and total employment of 248,630. New Mexico sits at #17 on nominal pay and #6 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, New Mexico climbs 11 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Licensure — New Mexico (PT Compact)
New Mexico participates in the Physical Therapy Compact, with effective participation since 2018. PTs and PTAs with a Compact Privilege issued from another member state may practice in New Mexico without separately applying for a New Mexico license. New Mexico Compact Privilege fees are typically $45 per state per 1-year cycle (vs. $200–$400 + 60–90 days for traditional endorsement), making it the dominant pathway for travel PTs and multi-state telehealth practices.
New Mexico has been a Compact participant for 8 years as of 2026, putting it among the long-tenured members where the Compact pathway is the established norm at most employers and travel agencies.
Source: ptcompact.org state status — re-synced quarterly. See PT Compact reciprocity hub for the cross-state matrix and changelog for status changes.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a PT make in New Mexico?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $101,130 for PTs in New Mexico as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $75,860 and the 75th-percentile is $123,640.
- How are New Mexico PT salaries calculated on this page?
- Nominal wages come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) — annual employer surveys, May 2026 reference period. Real-wage figures use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 vintage) to adjust for state-level cost of living. No self-report or jobs-board data is mixed in.
- What does the top of the PT pay scale look like in New Mexico?
- The 90th percentile lands at $137,040. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $123,640.
- How many PTs does New Mexico employ?
- BLS OES counts 1,350 PTs employed in New Mexico in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Where does New Mexico rank for PT pay?
- On nominal BLS wages alone, New Mexico ranks among the 51 states and DC by median pay. After the BEA cost-of-living adjustment the ordering changes — high-cost states fall, low-cost states rise. Both rankings are shown in the data table on this page.
- Is New Mexico a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for PTs?
- Yes — the BEA RPP of 91.0 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $101,130 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $111,155. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for PTs comparing offers across regions.
- How much can a travel PT earn in New Mexico?
- Travel-PT weekly contracts in {state} typically run $1,800-$2,800 per week including stipends, depending on demand and metro. Annualized, that's well above the staff PT median, but the comparison must net out housing-stipend tax treatment, lack of benefits, and 401(k) accrual.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 29-1123, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how New Mexico PT pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.