Accountant salary in Santa Fe, NM
Santa Fe is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $72,780 a year1 is 7.4% below the New Mexico statewide median of $78,580, and 13.0% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #390 of 521. BLS counts about 620 people in this job here, 10% of the New Mexico total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Santa Fe, NM. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Santa Fe against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | $55,230 | $72,780 | $118,290 | |
| New Mexico | $52,390 | $78,580 | $125,420 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Santa Fe earns $62,400–$86,300. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $118,290, only 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($79,160) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $23,900 wide, against $35,800 across New Mexico and $42,790 nationally: employers in Santa Fe pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $55,230 | $4,602 | $26.55 | $71,265 |
| 25th percentile | $62,400 | $5,200 | $30.00 | $80,516 |
| Median | $72,780 | $6,065 | $34.99 | $93,910 |
| 75th percentile | $86,300 | $7,192 | $41.49 | $111,355 |
| 90th percentile | $118,290 | $9,858 | $56.87 | $152,632 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,380 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,520, or about $17,445 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Santa Fe, and the New Mexico statewide median of $78,580 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Santa Fe
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $21,130 to the $72,780 median and brings it to $93,910 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Santa Fe
Of the 13 roles we track in Santa Fe, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between executive assistants ($81,410) and recruiters ($71,300). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,380.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +22.8% | 240 | |
| Executive Assistant | +11.9% | 600 | |
| Accountant | this role | 620 | |
| Recruiter | -2.0% | 320 | |
| Office Manager | -9.6% | 610 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #11 of the 13 roles we track in Santa Fe (-13.0%), between project coordinators (-12.6%) and sales development representatives (-16.1%). The typical role here is at -5.4%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Santa Fe than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Santa Fe, 6.7% across New Mexico and 9.4% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Mexico
Across the 6 areas of New Mexico with data for this job, the median runs from $67,470 in Las Cruces to $88,880 in the Northern New Mexico nonmetro area, a gap of $21,410 a year. All 2 areas in New Mexico with more accountants than Santa Fe also pay more, among them Albuquerque, NM ($79,880) and the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area ($78,560).
| Area | Median | vs Santa Fe | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | +22.1% | 550 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +9.8% | 3,260 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | +7.9% | 900 | |
| Farmington, NM | +4.6% | 240 | |
| Santa Fe, NM | this area | 620 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -7.3% | 480 |
Santa Fe against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Santa Fe is #302 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside New Mexico, Morristown and Tyler pay just above Santa Fe and Clarksville and Dover just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Santa Fe. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Santa Fe | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +5.4% | 630 | jobs | |
| Traverse City, MI | +2.8% | 610 | jobs | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.2% | 800 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | +0.0% | 240 | pay | |
| Santa Fe, NM | this area | 620 | ||
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -0.0% | 510 | pay | |
| Dover, DE | -0.1% | 710 | pay | |
| Dothan, AL | -7.5% | 610 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Santa Fe, NM?
About $93,910 a year at the median, or $7,826 a month: $72,780 in pay plus about $21,130 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Santa Fe?
The median was $72,780 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $55,230, the 90th $118,290, and the middle half earned $62,400 to $86,300.
Is Santa Fe cheaper than the rest of New Mexico for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $72,780 against $78,580 statewide. The next area up in New Mexico is Farmington at $76,100, the next down Las Cruces at $67,470.
How many accountants work in Santa Fe?
BLS counts about 620 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the New Mexico total of 6,300. Only Albuquerque and the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area have more in New Mexico.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Santa Fe?
Yes: $1,480 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,780 and $71,300.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.