A specialist nurse in Mexico reported an average salary of 11,100 pesos a month in the first quarter of 2026, and a technical nurse 9,330 pesos, according to INEGI's National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE) as processed by Data México. Nursing assistants and paramedics reported 7,470 pesos a month. These are national averages that mix public hospitals, private clinics, doctors' offices and informal work.
At the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the country's largest employer of nurses, the base pay of a general nurse working 8-hour shifts was 7,381.12 pesos a month under the pay scale in force until October 15, 2026, according to N+. Benefits from the collective agreement come on top of that, and since October there has also been a raise. This guide explains how much a nurse earns in Mexico by position, institution and state, and why the figures do not always match.
How much does a nurse earn in Mexico according to the ENOE
| Occupation (ENOE, Q1 2026) | People employed | Average monthly salary (pesos) | Hours per week | Informality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist nurses | 11,200 | 11,100 | 31.9 | 12.1% |
| Technical nurses | 97,900 | 9,330 | 38.6 | 19.9% |
| Nursing assistants and paramedics | 163,000 | 7,470 | 36.9 | 26.5% |
Source: Data México profiles for specialist nurses, technical nurses and nursing assistants and paramedics, with ENOE data from INEGI. Data México warns that the salary data for these occupations "have low statistical precision and should not be used as conclusions".
That warning matters. Among specialist nurses, a small group in the sample, the average salary fell 46.6% in a single quarter, from 20,700 pesos at the end of 2025, while the number of people employed rose 36.5%. A swing like that reflects the sample size more than a real pay cut. The average for technical nurses was more stable, down 2.1% from 9,540 pesos, and for assistants it rose 11.7% from 6,690.
Nursing is a mostly female occupation: women make up 63.3% of specialist nurses, 75.5% of technical nurses and 71.6% of assistants. In all three groups men reported somewhat higher averages: 12,100 versus 10,500 pesos among specialists, 9,600 versus 9,250 among technical nurses and 8,220 versus 7,180 among assistants.
How much does an IMSS nurse earn in 2026
Base pay for IMSS nursing staff comes from the pay scale agreed between the institute and the National Union of Social Security Workers (SNTSS). These were the monthly amounts for an 8-hour shift under the scale in force until October 15, 2026:
| IMSS position (8-hour shift) | Monthly base pay in pesos (until Oct 15, 2026) |
|---|---|
| General nurse | 7,381.12 |
| Clinical general nurse (EGC) | 7,898.30 |
| Specialist nurse | 8,415.48 |
| Head nurse (floor supervisor) | 10,242.12 |
Source: IMSS base staff pay scale as reported by N+. These are base salaries without benefits. According to the same outlet, with collective-agreement compensation an IMSS nurse's monthly income can reach between 11,000 and 25,000 pesos, an estimate that does not come from an official document.
The scale changed on October 16. The new one, approved at the SNTSS congress on September 11, raised base pay by 2.9% and runs until October 15, 2027: under it, a head nurse now earns 10,539 pesos a month, according to Expansión. That 2.9% sparked protests by IMSS workers, who wanted 10%, as we explain in our story on the IMSS dispute.
On October 27, IMSS director Zoé Robledo announced a 12-point, 120-day plan that includes an 8% pay raise for about 500,000 active workers and permanent contracts for 10,939 employees, according to El Economista. A breakdown of that 8% for each nursing position has not yet been published by an official source, so this table will be updated when IMSS or the SNTSS release it.
How much does a nurse earn in Mexico at ISSSTE and IMSS-Bienestar
| Institution or program | Monthly amount (pesos) | Type of figure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMSS, general nurse (8 hours) | 7,381.12 | Base pay without benefits (until Oct 15, 2026) | N+ |
| IMSS, head nurse (8 hours) | 10,539 | Base pay since Oct 16, 2026 | Expansión |
| IMSS-Bienestar, nurses with a bachelor's degree | 13,350 | Stipend in the 2026 National Call | W Radio |
| ISSSTE, general nurse | 12,000 to 16,000 | Job board range, by region and shift | adn40 |
The figures are not directly comparable: the IMSS scale is base pay only and leaves out the Christmas bonus, savings fund, allowances and other benefits; the IMSS-Bienestar amount is a hiring program stipend, and the ISSSTE figure is a range published by its job board in February 2026. That is why an ISSSTE nurse can appear to "earn more" than an IMSS nurse without that being true of total income.
Where nurses earn the most in Mexico
| Occupation | States with the highest average salary (pesos) | States with the most workers |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist nurses | Durango (40,000), Tabasco (30,000) and Puebla (27,000) | Veracruz (2,520), Chiapas (1,050) and Chihuahua (823) |
| Technical nurses | Sinaloa (27,600), Baja California Sur (19,800) and Nayarit (15,600) | State of Mexico (17,200), Mexico City (9,710) and Nuevo León (8,640) |
| Nursing assistants and paramedics | Baja California Sur (14,300), Campeche (11,500) and Veracruz (11,400) | State of Mexico (27,300), Mexico City (15,500) and Jalisco (13,700) |
Source: Data México, ENOE, first quarter of 2026. With such small state samples, these averages change a lot from quarter to quarter and should be read as a reference, not as a firm ranking.
How much does a nurse earn in Mexico compared with other benchmarks
| Benchmark | Monthly amount in pesos (2026) |
|---|---|
| Medical specialist, ENOE average | 12,900 |
| Specialist nurse, ENOE average | 11,100 |
| General practitioner, ENOE average | 10,800 |
| General minimum wage (30.4 days) | 9,582 |
| Technical nurse, ENOE average | 9,330 |
| Primary school teacher, ENOE average | 9,180 |
| Nursing assistant, ENOE average | 7,470 |
Sources: Data México (general practitioners, medical specialists and nursing) and Mexico's 2026 minimum wage. The fact that technical nurses and assistants average less than the monthly minimum wage is explained by part-time shifts and informal work, which the ENOE does include. For comparison, see how much a doctor earns in Mexico and how much a teacher earns; and for Chile, how much a nurse earns in Chile.
What makes a nurse's salary vary
- Education level: the IMSS scale separates general nurses, clinical general nurses and specialists, with about 500 pesos a month between each level in base pay.
- Type of position: a permanent position gives access to all collective-agreement benefits; temporary or program positions receive less. That is why permanent contracts are one of the sector's demands.
- The institution: IMSS, ISSSTE, IMSS-Bienestar, state health departments and private hospitals each pay under different scales.
- Formality: one in five technical nurses and one in four assistants work without social security, according to the ENOE.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nurse earn in Mexico a month?
According to INEGI's ENOE as processed by Data México, a specialist nurse reported an average of 11,100 pesos a month in the first quarter of 2026, a technical nurse 9,330 and a nursing assistant 7,470. Data México warns that the data have low precision.
How much does an IMSS general nurse earn?
Under the scale in force until October 15, 2026, the base pay of a general nurse on an 8-hour shift was 7,381.12 pesos a month, without benefits. In October IMSS announced an 8% raise for about 500,000 workers, whose breakdown by position is not yet official.
How much does a nurse earn at ISSSTE?
ISSSTE's job board published in February 2026 a range of 12,000 to 16,000 pesos a month for a general nurse, depending on region, shift and seniority.
Where do nurses earn the most in Mexico?
According to the ENOE, the highest averages for specialist nurses were in Durango, Tabasco and Puebla, and for technical nurses in Sinaloa, Baja California Sur and Nayarit. These are small-sample figures.
