Firefighter Salary in New Mexico (2026)

Worth knowing: New Mexico's substantial post-2022 Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire + the substantial NM 2024 wildfire response is one of the country's most distinctive concentrated US single-state wildland firefighter operations and a feature most national firefighter career surveys understate for NM. NM substantial post-2022 Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire (April-August 2022 + the substantial largest US wildfire in NM history burning ~341,735 acres in Mora + San Miguel + Taos counties + the substantial Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak fire caused by US Forest Service prescribed burn escapes + the substantial post-2022 Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak fire claims + the substantial Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak Fire Assistance Act 2022 ~$2.5B+ federal compensation + the substantial post-2022 NM Forestry Division + US Forest Service Santa Fe National Forest accountability + the substantial NM wildland response infrastructure investment + the substantial post-2022 NM wildland-urban interface response) + the substantial post-2024 South Fork Fire + Salt Fire wildfire response (June 2024 South Fork + Salt fires burning ~25K+ acres on Mescalero Apache Reservation + Lincoln National Forest + the substantial post-2024 NM wildland response) supports substantial NM wildland + wildland-urban interface firefighter operations + the substantial NM Forestry Division + US Forest Service NM hotshot crew investment + the substantial NM wildland response training + equipment. Senior NM wildland firefighters + US Forest Service hotshots at Smokey Bear + Roosevelt + Sandia + Los Padres NM hotshot crews clear $52-95K + hazard pay. Albuquerque Fire Rescue AFR (~750 sworn + IAFF Local 244 + the largest NM fire department + the substantial AFR post-2022 wildfire response coordination + the substantial AFR hazmat + technical rescue + ARFF + the substantial AFR Sunport airport fire) supports substantial NM urban + post-wildfire firefighter operations. Senior NM AFR + Santa Fe + Las Cruces firefighter officers clear $72-112K + OT. Los Alamos County Fire Department (~150 sworn + the substantial Los Alamos County FD providing the only LANL cleared facility fire + the substantial LANL hazmat + nuclear + plutonium pit production facility fire + the substantial Los Alamos County the wealthiest US county by median household income ~$130K+ + the substantial Los Alamos County FD funded by substantial LANL host-community payments) supports substantial NM cleared LANL fire work. Senior LANL Los Alamos County firefighters clear $72-112K + OT + the substantial LANL host-community premium. Kirtland AFB + Holloman + Cannon + WSMR substantial federal civilian firefighter work supporting cleared facility fire. Public Employees Retirement Association PERA (~$16B+ AUM + NM state + local government employee defined-benefit pension + the substantial PERA covering NM career firefighters at 3% × years × FAS multiplier supporting career firefighter retirement after 25 years + the substantial post-2020 PERA stabilization reforms) provides NM firefighter pension. NM recognizes public-sector collective bargaining for firefighters via the substantial NM Public Employee Bargaining Act PEBA — substantial NM firefighter collective bargaining preserved + active. NM is NOT a RTW state. NM progressive 1.7-5.9% top by 2026. The 2025 OBBBA No Tax on Overtime federal deduction applies through 2028.