10-yr median earnings
$39,067
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Las Cruces, New Mexico
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus is a public institution in Las Cruces, New Mexico. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $8,889
- Avg net price / yr
- $39,067
- 10-yr median earnings
- 53.8%
- 150%-time completion
- 89.0%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
New Mexico State University-Main Campus pairs modest former-student earnings with open admission.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- 44th pct.
- former-student earnings, US
- 89.0%
- acceptance rate
- 53.8%
- 150%-time completion
- +19%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
Suburb: Midsize
Carnegie: R2
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this New Mexico State University-Main Campus profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C-
College Value Score
53/100
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings D
$39,067
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price A-
$8,889
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate D
53.8%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$17,095
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment C+
65.0%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention D
73.4%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$8,889
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
53.8%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 53.8%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - New Mexico State University-Main Campus vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How New Mexico State University-Main Campus ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$39,067 44th percentile higher than 44% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $39,067 | #2850 of 5103 | 44th |
| Average net price | $8,889 | #924 of 5020 | 82nd (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 53.8% | #2688 of 4858 | 45th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,946 | #278 of 5462 | 95th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
11,946
Undergraduate enrollment
89.0%
Acceptance rate
1,011
SAT average
53.8%
150%-time completion
$39,067
10-yr median earnings
73.4%
First-year retention
How New Mexico State University-Main Campus ranks in New Mexico
State rank among 35 reporting New Mexico colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $39,067 | #15 of 35 | 57th |
| Average net price | $8,889 | #21 of 40 | 48th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 53.8% | #12 of 39 | 69th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,946 | #3 of 41 | 93rd |
Highest former-student earnings in New Mexico
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | $76,489 | $9,873 |
| 2 | New Mexico Military Institute | $57,410 | $4,571 |
| 3 | New Mexico Highlands University | $45,937 | $14,838 |
| 4 | University of the Southwest | $45,389 | $16,927 |
| 5 | St. John's College | $44,985 | $26,674 |
| 6 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | $44,792 | $15,489 |
| 7 | University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus | $44,792 | $4,868 |
| 8 | University of New Mexico-Valencia County Campus | $44,792 | $5,714 |
| 9 | University of New Mexico-Taos Campus | $44,792 | $9,165 |
| 10 | University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus | $44,792 | $13,470 |
| 11 | Western New Mexico University | $39,095 | $8,522 |
| 12 | New Mexico State University-Main CampusThis school | $39,067 | $8,889 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 89.0% |
| SAT Average | 1,011 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420 – 540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450 – 570 |
| ACT Average | 20 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 17 – 24 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$6,648 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$7,424 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$9,861 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$14,049 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at New Mexico State University-Main Campus - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $8,183 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $25,307 |
| Average Net Price | $8,889 |
38.5%
Pell Grant Rate
19.9%
Federal Loan Rate
$17,095
Median Debt
$181/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at New Mexico State University-Main Campus swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $6,747 to $10,428 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -33.6%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$6,747
Highest year
$10,428
Most recent (2023)
$6,747
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $10,1582023 · $6,747
Over the same years, enrollment went -10.3% (12,886 → 11,561 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
57.7%
Female
43.6%
First Generation
Outcomes
73.4%
Retention Rate
$32,960
Median Earnings (6yr)
49.0%
Earning Over $25K
65.0%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 53.8% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 73.4% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $32,960 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $39,067 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 49.0% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 65.0% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $17,095 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $181/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 49 | 2,250 | $55,148 | $96,510 | $19,562 |
| Associate's | 19 | 2 | $50,234 | $84,961 | $9,536 |
| Master's | 18 | 489 | $73,933 | $113,691 | $28,598 |
| Doctoral | 2 | 14 | $141,422 | $141,422 | - |
Top programs at New Mexico State University-Main Campus by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$141,422 median earnings
- Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineering
$113,691 median earnings
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, a…
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
$96,510 median earnings
- Electrical, Electronics, a…
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
$95,683 median earnings
- Computer and Information S…
Computer and Information Sciences, General
$94,024 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$92,605 median earnings
- Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
$90,091 median earnings
- Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
$85,742 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus? ▼
New Mexico State University-Main Campus is a public institution in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The acceptance rate is 89.0%. The average SAT score is 1,011. Undergraduate enrollment is 11,946 students.
How much do New Mexico State University-Main Campus former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at New Mexico State University-Main Campus who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $39,067 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $32,960.
How much does New Mexico State University-Main Campus cost? ▼
The average net price at New Mexico State University-Main Campus is $8,889. In-state tuition is $8,183 and out-of-state tuition is $25,307. Median student debt at graduation is $17,095.
What is the graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus? ▼
New Mexico State University-Main Campus has a 53.8% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 73.4%.
Is New Mexico State University-Main Campus worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at New Mexico State University-Main Campus is $17,095, while former students earn a median of $39,067 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 44% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 65.0% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $181.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from New Mexico State University-Main Campus
- Compare New Mexico State University-Main Campus against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in New Mexico side by side.Browse New Mexico
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.