New Mexico’s construction industry bounced back from its slump by adding 500 new jobs between April and May of 2016 according to the design firm ENR Southwest. In particular, Albuquerque is the site of a number of high-profile construction projects as of July 2016 according to Albuquerque Business First.
One large project is the conversion of an 86,000-square foot office building in the Uptown area into luxury condominiums and a mixed-use project. The investors are calling the new project The 24s@Uptown.
Converting the office space to six condos will cost $4.9 million alone and require reconfiguring the building’s electrical systems. Three of the six condos had already been sold while the project was still under construction.
Other construction projects in Albuquerque that will benefit electricians include:
- A 6,500-squre foot shopping center that will be built at Montaño Crossing
- A new hotel on the site of the Santa Ana Star Casino
- Retail spec space on the Westside
- The boom in senior housing in Albuquerque
Salaries for Residential Electricians in New Mexico’s Major Urban and Rural Areas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the range of salaries earned by electricians throughout New Mexico. Highly skilled master electricians can expect to earn salaries at the highest end of these ranges (2015):
Salaries for Specialty Electricians in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Rural Eastern New Mexico
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides salaries for three different types of specialized electricians that work in New Mexico’s two largest cities and the rural Eastern part of the state (2015). Those with the most education and experience tend to earn salaries at the upper end of the ranges shown here:
Albuquerque:
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $58,030 – $72,880
- Security and Fire Alarms Installers: $35,250 – $54,550
- Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers: $35,190 – $39,520
Las Cruces:
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $68,760 – $94,110
Rural Eastern New Mexico:
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Equipment: $51,840 – $77,130
The statewide average for electricians in these specialized roles is shown in the table below:
Salaries for Electrician Apprentices in New Mexico’s Major Cities and Rural Areas
The increase in the number of jobs for electrician apprentices in New Mexico will be high during the ten-year period ending in 2022 according to the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions. Job growth for electrician apprentices will be particularly high in Las Cruces and Santa Fe:
- Las Cruces: 10th fastest job growth of all types of jobs
- Santa Fe: 20th fastest job growth of all types of jobs
Rural areas of New Mexico had a high number of jobs for electrician apprentices in 2015 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Rural Southwestern New Mexico: 2nd highest concentration of jobs on a population basis of any rural area in the country
- Rural Eastern New Mexico: 3rd highest number of jobs of any rural area in the country
This agency provides salary data for the occupational classification for “Electrician’s Helpers” throughout New Mexico. Shown below is information that represents the wages earned during an electrical apprenticeship: