B
Good
Score: 64/100
Overall (traditional)
F
Outcome Rating
33/100 · earnings-weighted

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

4-Year Public
📍 Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003
New Mexico State University-Main Campus campus, Las Cruces, NM
New Mexico State University-Main Campus campus, Las Cruces, NM. Photo: Terry Umbenhaur, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
B
69/100
Affordability
B
72/100
Resources
C+
61/100
Experience
B+
77/100
Prestige
C
43/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

14,779
Total Enrollment
52%
Graduation Rate
75%
Retention Rate
15.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
76%
Acceptance Rate
$8,353
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near New Mexico State University-Main Campus ▼

19% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

The campus ZIP (88003) has no residential market, so these figures average 2 nearby ZIP codes within 3 miles of campus (88001, 88046).

Avg Home Value
$245,959
Avg Monthly Rent
$986
1-Year Change
-8.9%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at New Mexico State University-Main Campus, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$39,067
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$32,960
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$17,095
Median debt at graduation
55.2%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
1,011
Average SAT
20
Median ACT
38.5%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 44% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 15th percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (NM wage index 0.75). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$68,002$96,510-2%#30 of 59#7$24,262
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$82,790$95,683-5%#171 of 258#38$22,250
Computer and Information Sciences$63,674$94,024+2%#155 of 459#74$19,508
Chemical Engineering$75,766$90,091-8%#128 of 158#49$14,409
Mechanical Engineering$62,813$85,742-7%#281 of 318#71$19,074
Engineering Technologies/Technicians$60,250$81,690+1%#10 of 34#5$21,500
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$73,229$78,951-11%#763 of 966#359$18,500
Civil Engineering$60,212$74,115-14%#228 of 233#130$11,194
Finance and Financial Management Services$48,868$68,890-17%#356 of 452#213$15,670
Agricultural Business and Management$41,268$63,139-5%#46 of 77#24—
Marketing$33,191$63,115-9%#335 of 516#164$19,750
Business/Commerce$39,442$60,970-11%#192 of 271#85$23,072
Special Education and Teaching$31,963$58,953+17%#29 of 177#5$16,996
Accounting and Related Services$38,057$57,219-25%#750 of 796#626$14,750
Business Administration, Management and Operations$35,599$54,077-21%#987 of 1176#728$19,762
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions—$53,428-25%#211 of 253#170—
Biology$26,533$52,567-8%#609 of 841#312$16,200
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$45,016$51,972+1%#149 of 345#34$13,862
Political Science and Government$35,393$51,641-18%#494 of 565#308$18,750
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$41,888$51,592+9%#181 of 680#27$22,753
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$23,701$50,998-7%#374 of 610#180$20,000
Social Work$33,510$50,295-3%#262 of 420#57$21,500
Criminal Justice and Corrections$29,553$49,834-10%#496 of 660#256$20,250
Hospitality Administration/Management$29,942$49,444-13%#109 of 137#69$20,973
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services—$49,080-12%#64 of 70#45—
Sociology$31,376$48,419-8%#328 of 462#125$24,506
Journalism$32,825$45,765-19%#165 of 187#119$17,020
Psychology$26,250$45,637-10%#773 of 1027#339$15,750
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$33,603$44,272-2%#25 of 37#10$16,449
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$31,568$43,872-17%#398 of 476#301$24,243
Public Health$27,729$42,410-28%#212 of 215#179$23,500
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services$27,720$40,432-19%#80 of 90#55$19,125
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies—$39,479-19%#119 of 137#78—
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$25,631$39,293-25%#49 of 50#39$24,421
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services$25,965$38,142-21%#164 of 172#141$21,749
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$25,344$37,880-13%#119 of 144#80$16,250
Animal Sciences$28,475$36,858-26%#77 of 78#72$18,489
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$36,198—————
Graphic Communications$24,115$33,612-22%#53 of 59#40$22,500
English Language and Literature—$32,767-33%#572 of 576#551$16,350
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$17,980$30,355-24%#245 of 255#209$17,009
Visual and Performing Arts$18,470$27,875-33%#68 of 68#66$28,500
Agriculture$26,666————$22,500
Anthropology$12,059—————

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The New Mexico State University-Main Campus Town Property Report

  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 88001 (3.6% cap, Las Cruces)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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🏆 Where New Mexico State University-Main Campus Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

#14
Public Health Education and Promotion
of 44 schools
#29
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
of 100 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $6,283 $23,407
Room $6,506
Board $5,520
Total Cost (On-Campus) $26,111 $43,235

Financial Aid

98%
Receive Any Aid
48%
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Take Out Loans
$8,353
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$5,104
$30,001 - $48,000$5,724
$48,001 - $75,000$8,877
$75,001 - $110,000$10,223
$110,001+$10,360

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 159 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 157 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 137 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 134 grads/yr Social Work 118 grads/yr Psychology, General 117 grads/yr Biology/Biological Sciences, General 112 grads/yr Mechanical Engineering 104 grads/yr Information Technology 103 grads/yr Computer and Information Sciences, General 96 grads/yr Business/Commerce, General 95 grads/yr Civil Engineering, General 83 grads/yr Education, General 80 grads/yr Exercise Science and Kinesiology 75 grads/yr Marketing/Marketing Management, General 71 grads/yr Animal Sciences, General 67 grads/yr Public Health Education and Promotion 64 grads/yr Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 62 grads/yr Elementary Education and Teaching 56 grads/yr Accounting 52 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from New Mexico State University-Main Campus's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78k/yr 183,400 jobs
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
$106k/yr 160,800 jobs
First-line supervisors of correctional officers
$76k/yr 57,100 jobs
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
$71k/yr 16,200 jobs
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
$60k/yr 83,200 jobs
Registered nurses
$94k/yr 3,391,000 jobs
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
$80k/yr 91,600 jobs
Chief executives
$206k/yr 309,400 jobs

Student Demographics

14,779
Total Students
59%
Women
78%
Traditional Age (18-24)
19%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 27%
Hispanic 58%
Black 3%
Asian 2%
Two or More 3%
Non-Resident 6%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 54%
Off-Campus (Renters) 19%
With Family 27%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~2,749 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 33%
Hybrid (Some Online) 46%
Fully Online 21%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 78%
25-64 (Adult) 19%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
New Mexico State University-Main Campus has an acceptance rate of 76%. This indicates a less selective admissions process with good chances for qualified applicants.
How much does it cost to attend New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
Tuition at New Mexico State University-Main Campus is $6,283 for in-state students and $23,407 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $8,353.
What is the graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
The graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus is 52%. This graduation rate is below average. Consider factors like program type and student demographics when evaluating.
Is New Mexico State University-Main Campus a good school?
New Mexico State University-Main Campus has a Repit College Score of 64/100 (Grade: B). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (B): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (B+): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (C): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
New Mexico State University-Main Campus has a total enrollment of 14,779 students. Most students (78%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
Yes! Approximately 19% of students at New Mexico State University-Main Campus live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 2,749 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for New Mexico State University-Main Campus — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

B
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Albuquerque, NM · 22,700 students
B
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Portales, NM · 5,386 students
B
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM · 1,713 students
C+
Navajo Technical University
Crownpoint, NM · 1,544 students
C+
St. John's College
Santa Fe, NM · 447 students
C+
Western New Mexico University
Silver City, NM · 3,570 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology