Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks New Mexico State University-Main Campus #231 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. New Mexico State University-Main Campus sits in the 79.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $6,147 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks New Mexico State University-Main Campus #368 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- New Mexico State University-Main Campus delivers earnings outcomes that outpace what similar students achieve at comparable institutions, a signal that its program mix — anchored by business and applied fields — translates into real career traction. The university's mobility ranking reflects a student body that skews toward first-generation and Pell-eligible undergraduates, and an institutional track record of converting that access into durable post-graduation outcomes.
Azimuth ranks New Mexico State University-Main Campus #230 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 84.5 percentile. The current structured profile shows retention at 73.4% and a six-year graduation rate of 55.2%. Return on investment ranks #759, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $54,874. Graduates earn about $6,147 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 79.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 95.2 percentile; published cost of attendance is $23,274, and the middle-income net price is $9,861. Access sits in the 83.6 percentile, with 38.5% receiving Pell Grants and 43.6% first-generation.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus publishes a cost of attendance of $23,274, but need-based aid reshapes what families actually pay. Low-income students see a net price of approximately $6,648 per year, making New Mexico State University-Main Campus one of the more accessible options for cost-sensitive families in the Azimuth coverage set. Middle-income families pay around $9,861, and higher-income families pay approximately $14,049. Azimuth ranks New Mexico State University-Main Campus #69 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. As a public university in New Mexico, New Mexico State University-Main Campus participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and New Mexico-specific scholarship programs that can meaningfully reduce out-of-pocket costs for in-state students. The gap between the published cost of attendance and what most families pay reflects the university's broad financial aid reach — a pattern that tends to benefit first-generation and Pell-eligible students most directly. Families weighing the net price illusion — the difference between sticker price and actual cost — will find that New Mexico State University-Main Campus's net prices, particularly for lower-income households, tell a meaningfully different story than the headline figure. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,095, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $10,166; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,874, median federal debt of $17,095 projects to a monthly payment of about $193 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus is a public research university in Las Cruces, NM, well suited for students drawn to Business and related applied fields who want a broad, accessible institution with a clear path to post-graduation employment in the region. The earnings case is grounded in the data: graduates earn median four-year earnings of $54,874, placing New Mexico State University-Main Campus in the 24.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and graduates earn about $6,147 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing New Mexico State University-Main Campus in the 79.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access and aid picture is a defining feature. 38.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 43.6% are first-generation college students — a profile that reflects the university's deep roots in serving New Mexico's lower-income and first-generation communities. Low-income graduates sit in the 9.2 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical ten-year Scorecard measure — suggesting the institution delivers meaningful upward mobility for students who need it most. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix centers on Business and applied professional fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and the institution's regional labor-market orientation means students planning to build careers in New Mexico or the broader Southwest will find the tightest employer alignment.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the New Mexico State University-Main Campus hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus publishes a cost of attendance of $23,274, but need-based aid reshapes what families actually pay. Low-income students see a net price of approximately $6,648 per year, making New Mexico State University-Main Campus one of the more accessible options for cost-sensitive families in the Azimuth coverage set.
Middle-income families pay around $9,861, and higher-income families pay approximately $14,049. Azimuth ranks New Mexico State University-Main Campus #69 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. As a public university in New Mexico, New Mexico State University-Main Campus participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and New Mexico-specific scholarship programs that can meaningfully reduce out-of-pocket costs for in-state students.
The gap between the published cost of attendance and what most families pay reflects the university's broad financial aid reach — a pattern that tends to benefit first-generation and Pell-eligible students most directly. Families weighing the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — the difference between sticker price and actual cost — will find that New Mexico State University-Main Campus's net prices, particularly for lower-income households, tell a meaningfully different story than the headline figure.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,095, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $10,166; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,874, median federal debt of $17,095 projects to a monthly payment of about $193 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of New Mexico State University-Main Campus earn median 4-year earnings of $54,874, placing New Mexico State University-Main Campus in the 24.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,147 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 79.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks New Mexico State University-Main Campus #759 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 153 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $78,951, ranked #243 nationally in its major. Criminal Justice and Corrections reports 149 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $49,834, ranked #143 nationally in its major.
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities reports 129 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $43,872, ranked #153 nationally in its major. Biology, General reports 122 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $52,567, ranked #256 nationally in its major.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Middle Tennessee State University Similar quality tier (#10667 ranked) | TN | 69% | $48,541 | #10667 | Compare |
Stockton University Similar quality tier (#10151 ranked) | NJ | 89% | $57,602 | #10151 | Compare |
Suny Old Westbury Similar quality tier (#10150 ranked) | NY | 84% | $58,526 | #10150 | Compare |
University Of Rhode Island Similar quality tier (#10687 ranked) | RI | 72% | $69,743 | #10687 | Compare |
Colorado State University Global Similar quality tier (#10689 ranked) | CO | 98% | $76,813 | #10689 | Compare |
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
68 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
37 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
106 graduates
Chemical Engineering
40 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
108 graduates
New Mexico State University-Main Campus's program mix is anchored in Business, with additional strength in education, engineering, and health-related fields — a portfolio consistent with a land-grant research university serving southern New Mexico. Business accounts for 14% of graduates, Engineering for 13%, and Education for 4%, reflecting a broad applied-professional orientation across 63 programs serving roughly 2,424 students annually.
Nursing is the program combining the largest cohort scale with strong earnings, making it a central driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes. Among the highest-earning programs, Artificial Intelligence leads with median earnings of $94,024 four years after enrollment from a cohort of 106 graduates, and Azimuth ranks the program #75 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The Mechanical Engineering program graduates 108 students with median earnings of $85,742, and Azimuth ranks it #197 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing adds further depth, with 153 graduates earning $78,951 and a national rank of #268 per [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
The largest programs by enrollment — Nursing (153 graduates, $78,951) and Criminal Justice (149 graduates, $49,834) — shape the institution's median earnings more than any single high-earning specialty because of their cohort scale. Several of these programs feed directly into regional workforce demand.
Nursing, education, and criminal justice graduates typically enter local and state labor markets where hiring is steady, while engineering and business graduates have access to both regional employers and broader national career pathways. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides additional context for how New Mexico State University-Main Campus's dominant program families align with current labor-market conditions across the Southwest and nationally. ```
