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New Mexico tunnel worker prevailing wage, county by county
A tunnel worker's prevailing wage on New Mexico public works is $29.99 an hour in every county that has one (33), for the main classification.
Tunnel Worker rate in each New Mexico county, A to Z
| County | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bernalillo CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Catron CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Chaves CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Cibola CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Colfax CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Curry CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
De Baca CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Dona Ana CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Eddy CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Grant CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Guadalupe CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Harding CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Hidalgo CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Lea CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Lincoln CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Los Alamos CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Luna CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
McKinley CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Mora CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Otero CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Quay CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Rio Arriba CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Roosevelt CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
San Juan CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
San Miguel CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Sandoval CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Santa Fe CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Sierra CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Socorro CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Taos CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Torrance CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Union CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Valencia CountyLaborers – Underground – Group I · Bernalillo County group | $22.87 | $7.12 | $29.99 | Jul 1, 2026 | NMAC-11.1.2.20-2026-07-01 |
Main tunnel worker classification in each county (Laborers – underground – group i), 11.1.2.20 NMAC rates for decisions issued from July 1, 2026. Each project is governed by one wage rate decision "which shall remain effective for the duration of the project" (11.1.2.14 NMAC). Checked October 25, 2026.
How much does a tunnel worker make on prevailing wage in New Mexico?
$29.99 an hour in every county that has a rate, for the main classification.
Which counties share a rate
| Counties | Main classification | Base wage | Total rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County group, 33 localities: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union, Valencia | Laborers – Underground – Group I | $22.87 | $29.99 |
1 group of counties with identical DWS rates, and 0 counties with rates of their own.
11.1.2.20 NMAC lists journeyworker (and some helper) rates. Apprentices are paid the rate set by their registered apprenticeship program (11.1.2.19(B) NMAC). The 'Apprenticeship' column is the employer contribution to the public works apprentice and training fund, which the rule says is included in the fringe rate (11.1.2.19(C) NMAC).
Questions about New Mexico tunnel worker pay
What is the tunnel worker prevailing wage in Bernalillo County?
$29.99 an hour: a $22.87 base wage plus $7.12 in fringe, under 11.1.2.20 NMAC rates for decisions issued from July 1, 2026. Overtime and every tunnel worker classification in Bernalillo County.
Does tunnel worker prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Bernalillo County the $29.99 total is a $22.87 base wage plus $7.12 in fringe, about 24% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Does tunnel worker prevailing wage pay overtime in New Mexico?
New Mexico's rate table sets no overtime premium or hours. The general rule applies: 1½ times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a week. The rule doesn't say whether the premium applies to base only or base plus fringe, so we don't compute overtime dollars.
Do apprentice tunnel workers get this rate?
11.1.2.20 NMAC lists journeyworker (and some helper) rates. Apprentices are paid the rate set by their registered apprenticeship program (11.1.2.19(B) NMAC). The 'Apprenticeship' column is the employer contribution to the public works apprentice and training fund, which the rule says is included in the fringe rate (11.1.2.19(C) NMAC).
Why do some counties have the same tunnel worker rate?
DWS often publishes the same tunnel worker rates for several counties. Across New Mexico, the 33 counties with a tunnel worker rate fall into 1 distinct sets of rates, and 1 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 33 counties (the Bernalillo County group).