Best Colleges in New Mexico
The top-ranked colleges in New Mexico are New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and Northern New Mexico College. New Mexico is known for its rich Native American culture, stunning natural attractions like the White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns, and historic sites such as Taos Pueblo. The state's unique blend of art, history, and natural beauty makes it an inspiring destination for students.
Studying in New Mexico
Best Colleges in New Mexico
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Northern New Mexico College
Espanola, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
New Mexico Highlands University
Las Vegas, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Western New Mexico University
Silver City, New Mexico
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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Average income based on education level
The following figures are the average salaries in New Mexico for each level of education.
The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Cost of attending college in New Mexico
The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Most popular degrees in New Mexico
In New Mexico the most popular degrees are Business Administration, Registered Nursing, and Liberal Arts and Sciences. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard.
They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.
Fastest growing careers
New Mexico job growth 11.6%
Best bachelor’s degrees in New Mexico
These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.
Best colleges for social mobility in New Mexico
Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds.
To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).
The best colleges for social mobility in New Mexico are shown below.