Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Front Office Salary in New Mexico

The median dental front office earns $44,230 a year in New Mexico ($21.27 an hour), with the middle half earning between $38,570 and $49,150.[1]

Updated October 2026 with BLS May 2025 wage data, the latest release.

25th percentile

$38,570

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$44,230

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$49,150

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $44,230 per year or $21.27/hr at the median. New Mexico runs about 4% lower than the national median.

The full pay range in New Mexico

BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dental front office staff in New Mexico earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Front Office wages, New Mexico vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileNew Mexico hourlyNew Mexico annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$17.41$36,210$17.27$35,930
25th percentile$18.54$38,570$18.54$38,570
Median$21.27$44,230$22.08$45,930
75th percentile$23.63$49,150$24.32$50,580
90th percentile$27.79$57,790$29.10$60,530
Mean (average)$21.61$44,940$22.50$46,800

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages are gross pay for employees and exclude the self-employed. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work (hourly rate × 2,080 hours) where BLS reports hourly pay.

How many dental front office staff work in New Mexico

Employed

4,590

About 0.5% of all U.S. dental front office staff (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

5.27

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

0.85

1.00 = U.S. average; New Mexico is less concentrated than the national average

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.[2] A location quotient above 1 means the role makes up a bigger share of jobs here than nationally.

How New Mexico compares to the U.S.

  • Median pay: $44,230 in New Mexico vs. $45,930 nationally, $1,700 (4%) lower.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $36,210 vs. $35,930, about the same.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $57,790 vs. $60,530, 5% lower.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 3.7% in New Mexico vs. 4.2% nationally.

DSO Hire calculation: (state figure minus U.S. figure) divided by the U.S. figure, from BLS OEWS May 2025[1] and Projections Central[3]. Not adjusted for cost of living.

Dental Front Office pay by metro area in New Mexico

All 4 New Mexico metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]

Dental Front Office pay by New Mexico metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Albuquerque$47,310$40,130–$51,1102,480
Santa Fe$47,040$40,170–$52,420320
Farmington$39,090$37,810–$46,550180
Las Cruces$38,690$36,590–$44,230540

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Gross wages, not adjusted for cost of living. Metro areas cross state lines where noted in the name.

Job outlook for dental front office staff in New Mexico

New Mexico's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 3.7% over 2024–2034, from 4,030 to 4,180 jobs, with about 400 openings a year.[3] The national projection for the same period is 4.2%.

Openings include replacements for people who retire or change careers, which is why they can far exceed net growth. For what this means for hiring, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.

What drives dental front office pay in New Mexico

Pay for a dental front office depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.

Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.

For dental pros

Know your worth, then go get it

Browse open dental front office roles in New Mexico, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.

Dental Front Office salary in New Mexico: FAQ

How much do dental front office staff make in New Mexico?

The median annual wage for dental front office staff in New Mexico was $44,230 ($21.27 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $38,570 and $49,150. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $36,210 and the top 10% earned over $57,790.

Do dental front office staff in New Mexico earn more than the national median?

No. The New Mexico median of $44,230 is lower than the U.S. median of $45,930. That is $1,700 (4%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

Which New Mexico metro area pays dental front office staff the most?

Among the 4 New Mexico metro areas with published BLS data, Albuquerque has the highest median at $47,310 a year. Las Cruces has the lowest, at $38,690.

How many dental front office staff work in New Mexico?

BLS estimates 4,590 dental front office staff were employed in New Mexico in May 2025. That is 5.27 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 0.85, meaning the role is less concentrated than the national average.

Is demand for dental front office staff growing in New Mexico?

New Mexico's official long-term projections expect employment of dental front office staff to grow 3.7% over 2024–2034, from 4,030 to 4,180 jobs. That works out to about 400 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 4.2%.

Hiring in New Mexico?

Fill dental front office roles across every location.

See how it works