New Mexico Workers' Compensation Cost Calculator
Key facts: workers' comp in New Mexico
- Who must be covered
- Mandatory from 1 employee in construction, 3 employees elsewhereOfficial agency: WCA
- Average rate
- $1.05 per $100 of payrollRank #27 of 51 (#1 = most expensive), below the $1.09 national median
- Rating organization
- NCCINational Council on Compensation Insurance · Private insurers
- Verified from official records
- October 3, 2026Rates: Oregon DCBS study, June 2025
New Mexico requires workers' comp from three workers, and from the first employee for businesses doing work that needs a construction license. Executive employees count toward the three. Policies are bought through a licensed insurance agent.
Rates in effect January 1, 2024 · Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 2024 study (June 2025) · Nothing you enter leaves your browser
2024 study rate for all industries in New Mexico. Edit it if your policy shows a different rate.
For the class you're pricing. Insurers rate each class code's payroll separately.
Printed on your experience rating worksheet or renewal. New or small employers that don't qualify for experience rating are rated at 1.00.
Estimated premium
$10,500
per year at an EMR of 1.00
At an average mod
$10,500
per year at an EMR of 1.00
Your EMR's impact
$0
no adjustment
Effective cost: $1.05 per $100 of payroll.
At an EMR of 1.00, your claims history neither raises nor lowers this premium.
Every claim from now on counts toward your next three renewals. IncidentLog makes the first step — a complete, same-day incident report — take about 90 seconds from a job-site QR code.
Create a free accountEstimate before schedule credits or debits, premium discounts, expense constants, state assessments and minimum premiums — your insurer's quote will differ.
Who must carry workers' comp in New Mexico?
Mandatory from 1 employee in construction, 3 employees elsewhere
- Construction
- From 1 employee
- Other industries
- From 3 employees
Construction means work that requires a license under the Construction Industries Licensing Act. Part-time workers and executive employees count toward the three.
Official agency
New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (WCA)
Market: Private insurers
New Mexico workers' comp rates by business type
Rate per $100 of payroll for common class codes in New Mexico, against the median of the 51 jurisdictions in the study.
| Business type (NCCI code) | New Mexico | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office and clerical staff (8810) | $0.17 | $0.11 | +55% |
| Retail store (8017) | $1.05 | $1.20 | −12% |
| Restaurant (full service) (9082) | $1.01 | $1.09 | −7% |
| Restaurant (fast food) (9083) | $0.84 | $1.09 | −23% |
| Hotel (all other employees) (9052) | $1.69 | $1.79 | −6% |
| Assisted living / retirement center (care staff) (8824) | $2.32 | $2.03 | +14% |
| Hospital (professional staff) (8833) | $1.02 | $0.82 | +24% |
| Electrical contractor (5190) | $2.37 | $2.37 | 0% |
| Plumbing contractor (5183) | $2.80 | $2.70 | +4% |
| Residential carpentry (up to 3 stories) (5645) | $10.92 | $8.71 | +25% |
| Roofing (5551) | $10.83 | $9.64 | +12% |
| Trucking (7219) | $5.75 | $5.72 | +1% |
New Mexico uses NCCI class codes. Your insurer applies the rate for your own classes, then your EMR.
What a bad EMR costs in New Mexico
Take $500,000 of payroll at New Mexico's $1.05 index rate: $5,250 a year at an average mod of 1.00.
- EMR 0.85
- $4,463/yr
- EMR 1.25
- $6,563/yr
- Difference
- +$2,100/yr
A claim year usually stays in the mod for three renewals, so the gap adds up to about $6,300. The mod is built from claims, and the cheapest claim is the injury caught early.
IncidentLog lets crews report an injury or near miss from a job-site QR code in about 90 seconds, so you hear about it the same shift and see patterns on your OSHA 300 log before they become claims.
Create a free accountNew Mexico workers' comp FAQ
Is workers' comp insurance mandatory in New Mexico?
It depends on the industry. In New Mexico, construction employers need coverage from 1 employee, other employers from 3 employees. Construction means work that requires a license under the Construction Industries Licensing Act. Part-time workers and executive employees count toward the three. Source: New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration.
How are workers' comp rates set in New Mexico?
Employers buy coverage from private insurance companies. The Oregon DCBS study lists NCCI (the National Council on Compensation Insurance) as New Mexico's rating organization. Your own premium then depends on your class codes, your payroll and your experience modification rate (EMR).
What is the average workers' comp rate in New Mexico?
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services's 2024 study puts New Mexico's all-industry index rate at $1.05 per $100 of payroll for rates in effect on January 1, 2024, 96% of the study's national median of $1.09. That ranks New Mexico #27 of 51 jurisdictions, where #1 is the most expensive (unchanged from the 2022 study). Your own rate depends on your class codes.
Sources
Official texts behind this page (4 quotes)
“All employers of three or more workers are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Employers actively engaging in activities required to be licensed by the Construction Industries Licensing Act must have workers’ compensation coverage, regardless of the number of employees.”
Frequently asked questions — New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Under Section 52-1-7, “executive employees” are included in the headcount of three or more employees.”
Frequently asked questions — New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“An insurance agent can assist you with obtaining a policy.”
Frequently asked questions — New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“How do I use the Workers' Compensation Administration's (WCA) Electronic Case Filing (ECF)?”
Frequently asked questions — New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
An estimate for planning, not a quote, legal or insurance advice. IncidentLog is not an insurer or broker. Median rate across all industries: $1.09 per $100.