Albuquerque minimum wage
Minimum wage in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in effect since January 1, 2026
$12.00 an hour
Albuquerque sets its own minimum wage, $0.00 above the New Mexico rate of $12.00. Employers in Albuquerque pay the higher local rate.
Next increase: none announced as of October 9, 2026. City ordinance rate is adjusted each January 1 by CPI-W.
Tipped employees
Employers in Albuquerque can pay tipped employees a cash wage of $7.20 an hour, taking a tip credit of up to $4.80, as long as tips bring the employee to at least $12.00 for every hour worked. If they don't, the employer makes up the difference.
How future increases are set
City ordinance rate is adjusted each January 1 by CPI-W.
Exceptions and details
- STANDARD RATE SUPERSEDED: the city ordinance rate is $11.85 ($10.85 if the employer provides qualifying health or childcare benefits worth at least $2,500 a year), but the New Mexico state minimum of $12.00 supersedes it. The city calls $12.00 the prevailing wage.
- Tipped employees: $7.20 an hour (60% of the 2025 minimum wage), which is above the New Mexico state tipped cash wage of $3.00. This tipped rate is why Albuquerque still has its own record.
Other local minimum wages in New Mexico
- Santa Fe $15.40
- Santa Fe County (unincorporated) $15.40
Running payroll in Albuquerque?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- City of Albuquerque Legal Department · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.