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.

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Studying in New Mexico

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Best Colleges in New Mexico

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7 Results

#1 in New Mexico
Economic score 0.71

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.

Cost $5,441

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $76,489

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 56%

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.

#2 in New Mexico

Northern New Mexico College

Espanola, New Mexico

Economic score 5.45

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.

Cost $7,638

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $38,112

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 50%

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.

#3 in New Mexico | #314 in National Universities

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Economic score 5.59

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.

Cost $13,873

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $44,792

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 59%

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.

#4 in New Mexico | #369 in National Universities

New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Economic score 8.02

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.

Cost $8,495

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $39,067

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 56%

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

Economic score 3.16

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.

Cost $8,935

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $45,937

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 45%

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

Economic score 6.43

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.

Cost $7,669

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $38,550

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 48%

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

Economic score 9.56

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.

Cost $11,311

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $39,095

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 46%

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.  

Average Income

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.

HS Diploma $31,961
Certificate N/A
Associate $46,833
Bachelor $49,006
Master $58,639

Cost of attending college in New Mexico

In-state-tuition $10,419

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.

Out-of-state-tuition $17,277

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%

Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
173.9%
Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
79.5%
Nurse Practitioners
55.7%
Information Security Analysts
42.9%
Physical Therapist Assistants
37.7%
Massage Therapists
37.5%
Art Directors
35.7%
Medical and Health Services Managers
35.4%
Epidemiologists
33.3%
Physician Assistants
32%

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. 

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