In 2015, the National Science Foundation (NSF) unveiled its $5 million Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs program, a three-year plan designed to accelerate the country’s data network. As part of the program’s Western Hub, New Mexico is expected to attain the financial resources to build a stronger, higher salaried data science workforce.
In January 2016, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions found the following local employers posted the highest number of job openings for data science professionals in the state:
- New Mexico Workforce Connection
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Akai Security, Inc.
- Lovelace Health System
- Comcast Corporation
- University of New Mexico
- Altamira Corporation
- Applied Research Associates, Inc.
- Chenega Corporation
- S. Airforce
In 2015, Forbes described Albuquerque as the epicenter of the “New Mexico Technology Corridor” due to the city’s high concentration of high-tech private companies that use big data analytics situated along the Rio Grande.
Starting Salary Ranges for Data Scientist in New Mexico’s Major Cities
Albuquerque is considered a great place for tech workers, particularly female tech workers, to establish secure career paths. In fact, according to the financial technology company SmartAsset, Albuquerque was ranked among the top 15 cities for women in tech as of 2015. In that year, women held 27.3% of tech jobs in Albuquerque and experienced a gender pay gap of 96.1%.
Of course, Albuquerque does not just cater to its female tech workers. In fact, most data scientists employed here routinely earn six-digit starting salaries. This is partially due the city’s proximity to the New Mexico Technology Corridor, which begins at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in northwest of Santa Fe and ends at the New Mexico State University.
Examples of tech companies flourishing in Albuquerque include:
- Lockheed Martin
- Honeywell Aerospace
- Array Technologies
- Sacred Power
- NanoPore
- HT Micro Inc.
- Delta Group Electronics
- Sennheiser
- InSync Optics
- WaveFront Sciences
Data scientists rely on new business development and expansion to generate job growth and competitive wages, which is why Santa Fe is so important to tech workers. The city is home to Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI), a 30,000 square-foot facility that provides entrepreneurs with the technical support, business advice, and financial networking needed for business to succeed. Example of SFBI’s local company clientele include:
- Acoustic Biosystems, Inc.
- New Mexico CFO
- B6 Sigma
- JMSY Casting, LLC
- AttoLight Group
- Vizzia Technologies
- EcoPesticides
- ConvoBox
- BioDirection
- Fix my Roof, LLC
In 2016, the IT staffing company Robert Half Technology analyzed thousands of job placements made over recent years to calculate the following starting salaries. These salary figures do not factor in compensation resulting from bonuses or other incentives:
Albuquerque Area
- Albuquerque: $100,000-$141,000
- Santa Fe: $92,000-$129,000
- Farmington: $96,000-$135,000
- Las Cruces: $76,000-$107,000
- Rio Rancho: $100,000-$141,000
Other Cities
- Roswell: $78,000-$111,000
- Clovis: $83,000-$117,000
- Hobbs: $125,000-$177,000
- Alamogordo: $76,000-$107,000
- Carlsbad: $125,000-$177,000
Salaries for New Mexico’s Data Scientists by Specialty Field and Industry
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor released the following salary statistics for data scientists in New Mexico according to field of specialty and industry, which could prove useful in guiding decisions about which industry offers the best opportunities for top salaries:
Computer and Information Research Science
- $150,300
Operations Research
- $132,800
Statistical Modeling
- $132,300
Statistical Modeling Specialists Salaries Throughout New Mexico
Albuquerque is no stranger to the benefits brought on by big data sharing. In 2014, the National Science Foundation awarded a $15 million grant to the University of New Mexico to renew funding for its DataONE project. The project enables UNM to create a data sharing cyber network linking research facilities and other universities worldwide for facilitate scientific discovery.
According to the United States Department of Labor, data scientists working as statistical modeling specialists in the Albuquerque area earned an average annual salary of:
- Albuquerque – $127,760
Computer and Information Research Science Salaries Throughout New Mexico
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that New Mexico held the highest concentration of computer and information research scientist jobs in the country. Data scientists working in the area of computer and information research science employed in Las Cruces and Albuquerque earned:
- Albuquerque – $164,560
- Las Cruces – $109,790
Salaries for Data Scientists Working in the Area of Operations Research in New Mexico
In 2014 the United States Department of Labor determined that data scientists working in the area of operations research in Albuquerque were paid an average annual salary of:
- Albuquerque – $126,990
The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics information shown here reflects salary data for broad occupational classifications that include data scientists. These estimates are expressed as 90th percentile averages to reflect the fact that data scientists are recognized as the top earners within each classification.