SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Saturday issued the following statement following the state Senate unanimously voting to approve Senate Bill 1, increasing base salary levels for New Mexico teachers by an average of 20%:

“New Mexico educators deserve better compensation, it’s as simple as that – and we are delivering it. I want New Mexico teachers to be the best-compensated in the region, and today we are one step closer to making that a reality. I thank the Senate for their support of this initiative, a top priority of mine for the current legislative session.”

Sponsored by Senator Mimi Stewart and Senator Siah Correa Hemphill, Senate Bill 1 increases minimum educator salary levels in the state’s three-tier licensure system to $50,000, $60,000, and $70,000, representing an average 35% total increase in base salary levels since Gov. Lujan Grisham came into office. Coupled with a 7% raise for New Mexico education staff included in the governor’s budget recommendation, higher salaries for teachers will increase the average educator salary to $64,006, putting the state on par with the national average and ahead of surrounding states.

In 2019, following years of deep cuts to public education, the governor authorized 6% raises for all New Mexico educators while also dramatically increasing educator salary levels as part of an almost half–a-billion-dollar investment in public schools that year. This pay raise was followed by an additional 2% across-the-board increase for educators in 2020.