Public · Silver City, New Mexico

Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University is a public institution in Silver City, 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.

$8,522
Avg net price / yr
$39,095
10-yr median earnings
33.7%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Western New Mexico University posts modest former-student earnings.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

45th pct.
former-student earnings, US
33.7%
150%-time completion
+25%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Town: Remote Carnegie: Master's (L)
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Western New Mexico University 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 ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), 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

D
College Value Score
41/100
Western New Mexico University

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
$39,095
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price A-
$8,522
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
33.7%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$23,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment C-
59.0%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
58.1%
First-year students returning for year two
Western New Mexico University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$39,095

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$8,522

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

33.7%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 33.7%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Western New Mexico University vs peers

Western New Mexico University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 7 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Western New Mexico University positioned by … Carnegie Classification: Master's (L) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $22K $80K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $3K $16K Avg Net Price ($) Western New Mexico University (you are here): $39K earn · $9K net · 34% grad You are here - Western New Mexico… New Mexico Junior College: $34K earn · $7K net · 42% grad New Mexico Junior … New Mexico Highlands University: $46K earn · $15K net · 26% grad New Mexico Highlan… Clovis Community College: $34K earn · $3K net · 38% grad Clovis Community C… Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus: $39K earn · $4K net · 30% grad Eastern New Mexico… Navajo Technical University: $26K earn · $5K net · 16% grad Navajo Technical U… New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology: $76K earn · $10K net · 57% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

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 Western New Mexico University 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.

Western New Mexico University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$39,095 45th percentile higher than 45% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

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 Western New Mexico University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $39,095 #2824 of 5103 45th
Average net price $8,522 #872 of 5020 83rd (lower is better)
150%-time completion 33.7% #4056 of 4858 17th
Undergraduate enrollment 2,026 #1459 of 5462 73rd

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

2,026
Undergraduate enrollment
-
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
33.7%
150%-time completion
$39,095
10-yr median earnings
58.1%
First-year retention

How Western New Mexico University 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 Western New Mexico University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $39,095 #11 of 35 69th
Average net price $8,522 #20 of 40 50th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 33.7% #20 of 39 49th
Undergraduate enrollment 2,026 #9 of 41 78th

Highest former-student earnings in New Mexico

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology$76,489$9,873
2New Mexico Military Institute$57,410$4,571
3New Mexico Highlands University$45,937$14,838
4University of the Southwest$45,389$16,927
5St. John's College$44,985$26,674
6University of New Mexico-Main Campus$44,792$15,489
7University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus$44,792$4,868
8University of New Mexico-Valencia County Campus$44,792$5,714
9University of New Mexico-Taos Campus$44,792$9,165
10University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus$44,792$13,470
11Western New Mexico UniversityThis school$39,095$8,522
12New Mexico State University-Main Campus$39,067$8,889

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Western New Mexico University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Western New Mexico University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $7,856
Out-of-State Tuition $14,342
Average Net Price $8,522
43.5%
Pell Grant Rate
21.5%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,000
Median Debt
$244/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at Western New Mexico University swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $7,912 to $14,023 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -20.6%, 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
$7,912
Highest year
$14,023
Most recent (2023)
$7,912
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $9,9622014: $11,0552015: $11,6362016: $10,9422017: $12,0452018: $13,1782019: $12,4112020: $13,6792021: $14,0232022: $11,3112023: $7,912
2013 · $9,9622023 · $7,912

Over the same years, enrollment went -10.7% (2,166 → 1,935 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
47.7%
First Generation

Outcomes

58.1%
Retention Rate
$31,166
Median Earnings (6yr)
48.2%
Earning Over $25K
59.0%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 33.7%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 58.1%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $31,166
Median earnings 10 years after entry $39,095
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 48.2%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 59.0%
Median federal student debt At completion $23,000
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $244/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 8 156 $59,231 $84,626 $21,684
Master's 4 212 $72,792 $95,128 $39,487
Associate's 3 13 $42,238 $42,238 -
Graduate Certificate 1 83 - - $38,204

Top programs at Western New Mexico University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

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.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 17 $95,128 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 35 $84,626 $25,481
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Master's - $72,205 -
Social Work Master's 171 $63,313 $39,487
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Master's 24 $60,521 -
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Bachelor's 8 $56,548 $18,175
Social Work Bachelor's 29 $49,567 $29,330
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 28 $46,184 $13,750
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Associate's - $42,238 -
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's 20 - -
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's 14 - -
Psychology, General Bachelor's 18 - -
Social Work Graduate Certificate 83 - $38,204
Precision Metal Working Associate's 13 - -
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Bachelor's 4 - -

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Western New Mexico University?
Western New Mexico University is a public institution in Silver City, New Mexico. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,026 students.
How much do Western New Mexico University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Western New Mexico University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $39,095 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $31,166.
How much does Western New Mexico University cost?
The average net price at Western New Mexico University is $8,522. In-state tuition is $7,856 and out-of-state tuition is $14,342. Median student debt at graduation is $23,000.
What is the graduation rate at Western New Mexico University?
Western New Mexico University has a 33.7% 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 58.1%.
Is Western New Mexico University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Western New Mexico University is $23,000, while former students earn a median of $39,095 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 59% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 59.0% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $244.

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.

Where to go next from Western New Mexico University

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.