Santa Fe, NM Minimum Wage 2026 and 2027
As of October 30, 2026, the minimum wage in Santa Fe, NM is $15.40 per hour, in effect since March 1, 2026. It is set by the local ordinance and is $3.40 above the New Mexico statewide minimum of $12.00 and $8.15 above the federal minimum of $7.25.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Rates and sources checked October 30, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Current rate (October 30, 2026)
$15.40
In effect since March 1, 2026
2027 status: Scheduled
$17.50
Effective January 1, 2027
Compared with New Mexico
$3.40 higher
New Mexico statewide rate $12.00; federal $7.25
Santa Fe, NM minimum wage rates
| Group | Rate on October 30, 2026 | Since | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All employers within the city limits | $15.40 | March 1, 2026 | $17.50 |
Set by City of Santa Fe Living Wage Ordinance (Section 28-1 SFCC 1987, rewritten in November 2025). Administered by the City of Santa Fe Office of Economic Development.
Santa Fe, NM minimum wage in 2027: Scheduled
The city's page lists $17.50 per hour on January 1, 2027, a one-time legislative increase from the ordinance passed in November 2025, up from $15.40. From March 1, 2028 the rate adjusts each year by a formula of 50 percent Western region CPI and 50 percent HUD Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit.
Annual increases are capped at 5 percent and never decreased. Until 2027 the rate followed the Western region CPI; from March 1, 2028 it follows a 50/50 blend of Western CPI and HUD Fair Market Rent.
Tipped workers
The city page says employers may count tips toward the living wage for employees who customarily earn $100 per month or more in tips or commission, while the 2026 notice says more than $100 per month; confirm the threshold with the city. The page says employers may pay a base wage of $3.00 per hour, and if the base wage plus tips does not reach the full rate the employer must pay the difference, so the employee receives at least $15.40 per hour. The notice adds that tips must be retained by the workers, though pooling among workers is allowed. The page does not give a date for the $3.00 base wage.
Who is covered
The city ordinance covers all employers required to have a City of Santa Fe business license or registration, for all hours worked within the Santa Fe city limits. It also reaches contractors for the city, businesses receiving more than $25,000 in city economic development assistance, and nonprofit organizations other than those whose primary source of funds is Medicaid waivers.
Santa Fe County has its own living wage for businesses in unincorporated Santa Fe County, outside the City of Santa Fe, the City of Española and the Town of Edgewood: $15.40 per hour for regular employees and a $4.62 per hour base wage for tipped employees from March 1, 2026. The county page does not list a 2027 rate.
Tiers and exceptions
- The city page says the ordinance keeps provisions for tipped workers, Medicaid-dependent nonprofits, and health and childcare benefits, and that tips, health care and childcare count toward the wage. It also says some exemptions exist for Medicaid-funded nonprofits. This page does not summarize the ordinance text itself, so ask the city how a benefit credit applies to a specific job.
- Santa Fe County exempts employees of the United States, the State of New Mexico and other governments, registered apprentices, G.I. Bill trainees, immediate family of the employer, student interns working for academic credit and court-ordered community service participants.
- The rate is called a living wage in the city ordinance (Section 28-1 SFCC 1987). It is above the New Mexico minimum wage, which is why it is listed here.
Santa Fe, NM compared with New Mexico and the federal minimum
| Minimum wage | October 30, 2026 | January 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | $15.40 | $17.50 |
| New Mexico (statewide) | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Federal | $7.25 | $7.25 |
Employers must pay the highest rate that applies. See the New Mexico minimum wage page for the statewide rules.
Santa Fe, NM rate history
| Effective | All employers within the city limits |
|---|---|
| March 1, 2026 | $15.40 |
| January 1, 2027 (scheduled) | $17.50 |
Santa Fe, NM minimum wage pay calculator
| Gross pay | Santa Fe, NM ($15.40) | New Mexico ($12.00) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly pay | $616.00 | $480.00 | $136.00 |
| Yearly pay | $32,032.00 | $24,960.00 | $7,072.00 |
Gross pay before taxes, paid straight time for every hour entered. The Santa Fe, NM rate is the general rate for the group named above; tipped, youth and other groups follow the rules listed on this page.
What the official sources say
“The City’s Living Wage Ordinance permits employers to count tips toward the Living Wage requirement for employees who customarily earn $100 per month or more in tips or commission. Employers may pay a base wage of $3.00 per hour. If the base wage plus tips does not equal or exceed $15.40 per hour, the employer shall pay the difference. The employee must receive at least $15.40 per hour.”
“For workers who customarily receive more than one hundred dollars ($100) per month in tips or commissions, any tips or commissions received and retained by a worker shall be counted as wages and credited towards satisfaction of the Living Wage provided that, for tipped workers, all tips received by such workers are retained by the workers, except that the pooling of tips among workers shall be permitted.”
“All employers required to have a business license or registration from the City of Santa Fe (“City”) must pay at least the adjusted Living Wage to employees for all hours worked within the Santa Fe city limits.”
“The Living Wage Ordinance applies to businesses located in Santa Fe County outside the incorporated boundaries of the City of Santa Fe, City of Española, and the Town of Edgewood.”
“In November 2025, the City of Santa Fe passed a new living wage ordinance into law.”
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Santa Fe, NM in 2026?
As of October 30, 2026, the minimum wage in Santa Fe, NM is $15.40 per hour, in effect since March 1, 2026. It is set by City of Santa Fe Living Wage Ordinance (Section 28-1 SFCC 1987, rewritten in November 2025) and administered by the City of Santa Fe Office of Economic Development.
Will the Santa Fe, NM minimum wage go up in 2027?
The city's page lists $17.50 per hour on January 1, 2027, a one-time legislative increase from the ordinance passed in November 2025, up from $15.40. From March 1, 2028 the rate adjusts each year by a formula of 50 percent Western region CPI and 50 percent HUD Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit.
How does the Santa Fe, NM minimum wage compare with the New Mexico and federal minimums?
The New Mexico statewide minimum is $12.00, so Santa Fe, NM is $3.40 higher. The federal minimum is $7.25. An employer must pay the highest rate that applies.
Who is covered by the Santa Fe, NM minimum wage?
The city ordinance covers all employers required to have a City of Santa Fe business license or registration, for all hours worked within the Santa Fe city limits. It also reaches contractors for the city, businesses receiving more than $25,000 in city economic development assistance, and nonprofit organizations other than those whose primary source of funds is Medicaid waivers. Santa Fe County has its own living wage for businesses in unincorporated Santa Fe County, outside the City of Santa Fe, the City of Española and the Town of Edgewood: $15.40 per hour for regular employees and a $4.62 per hour base wage for tipped employees from March 1, 2026. The county page does not list a 2027 rate.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Santa Fe, NM?
The city page says employers may count tips toward the living wage for employees who customarily earn $100 per month or more in tips or commission, while the 2026 notice says more than $100 per month; confirm the threshold with the city. The page says employers may pay a base wage of $3.00 per hour, and if the base wage plus tips does not reach the full rate the employer must pay the difference, so the employee receives at least $15.40 per hour. The notice adds that tips must be retained by the workers, though pooling among workers is allowed. The page does not give a date for the $3.00 base wage.
Are there different rates or exceptions in Santa Fe, NM?
The city page says the ordinance keeps provisions for tipped workers, Medicaid-dependent nonprofits, and health and childcare benefits, and that tips, health care and childcare count toward the wage. It also says some exemptions exist for Medicaid-funded nonprofits. This page does not summarize the ordinance text itself, so ask the city how a benefit credit applies to a specific job.
Sources for Santa Fe, NM
- City of Santa Fe: Living Wage in the City of Santa Fe
- City of Santa Fe: Living Wage Ordinance 2026 notice
- Santa Fe County: Living Wage Ordinance
Sources checked October 30, 2026.
The city page lists the earlier living wage steps as $8.50 in 2004, $9.50 in 2006 and $15 in 2025 without exact dates, so the rate history above starts at the March 1, 2026 step.