New Mexico is known for being a world leader in high-tech exports. The state exported $3.8 billion in goods, which supported 16,546 jobs in 2014 alone, according to the US International Trade Administration.
Gaining access to international markets requires professionals that are highly knowledgeable in international business practices and international relations. Businesses tend to compensate highly for this type of expertise. Additional sources of employment for these types of professionals include NGOs and government economic development agencies that help to facilitate international trade. For instance, the New Mexico Economic Development Department has an Office of International Trade that has trade networks throughout the world and offers assistance in exporting and consultations on business practices.
Thirty-nine of New Mexico’s nonprofit organizations work in the international sphere according to the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. Among the most notable is the Albuquerque Council on Foreign Relations. The policy analysts, humanitarian aid program directors, diplomats and others that contribute to maintaining strong ties with foreign stakeholders are well compensated for their unique expertise.
Salaries for International Business Professionals in New Mexico
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the salaries of a number of types of professional positions that are integral to success in international business ventures. In 2014, the median salary of these professionals varied greatly throughout New Mexico. The median salary values in these areas were higher than those in the state as a whole:
Managerial Positions
Industrial production managers
- Eastern New Mexico NMA* – $113,740
Purchasing managers
- Albuquerque – $93,760
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Albuquerque – $82,710
Business Operation Specialists
Compliance Officers
- Eastern New Mexico NMA* – $75,470
- Las Cruces – $71,810
- Albuquerque – $60,320
Management analysts
- Los Alamos County NMA – $104,790
- Albuquerque – $72,600
*NMA = nonmetropolitan area
The state of New Mexico provides additional salary information for its professionals that worked in the Economic Development Division as of June 2015:
- Division director II: $66,997 to $87,870
- Public information officer: $69,690
- Economic development program coordinator: $66,811
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a full analysis of salaries for a number of key international business professions (2014):
Salaries for International Relations Professionals in New Mexico
The median salary of a chief marketing officer for nonprofits located in the Southwestern US was $106,482 in 2012 according to the nonprofit staffing firm Bluewater Nonprofit Solutions. These professionals earned a maximum salary of $175,000, and more than half of them earned bonuses.
Fundraising is critical to these organizations’ ability to function. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that fundraisers in Santa Fe earned a median salary of $59,470 in 2014.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a full analysis of salaries for a number of professions that frequently contribute to international relations efforts (2014):