Best Colleges in New Mexico (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in New Mexico ranks 9 four-year institutions on Azimuth's overall score for New Mexico. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for New Mexico, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of New Mexico-Main Campus ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $59,818 for its graduates four years after completing.
Public institutions account for 7 of the 9 schools, with 2 private nonprofit colleges rounding out the list. University of New Mexico-Main Campus ranks 150th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus posts the lowest average net price at $4,904, while New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology shows the highest six-year completion rate at 57%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $59,818 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus ranks 1st on this list and posts median earnings of $59,818 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology · Socorro, NM | $85,232 | $9,873 | $5,136 | 44.5% |
| With an average net price of $9,873, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology reports a six-year completion rate of 57%. | |||||
| 3 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM | $54,874 | $8,889 | $6,648 | 89.0% |
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus admits 89% of applicants and shows median earnings of $54,874 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM | $55,864 | $14,838 | $13,511 | Not reported |
| Graduates of New Mexico Highlands University earn a median of $55,864 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate is 26%. | |||||
| 5 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM | $54,827 | $4,904 | $3,663 | 91.7% |
| Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus reports the lowest average net price on the page at $4,904 and a six-year completion rate of 45%. | |||||
| 6 | Western New Mexico University · Silver City, NM | $54,074 | $8,522 | $8,381 | Not reported |
| An average net price of $8,381 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a six-year completion rate of 32% at Western New Mexico University. | |||||
| 7 | University of the Southwest · Hobbs, NM | $51,952 | $16,927 | $15,384 | Not reported |
| A private nonprofit institution in Hobbs, University of the Southwest has an average net price of $16,927 and a six-year completion rate of 17%. | |||||
| 8 | Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development · Santa Fe, NM | $37,813 | $12,570 | $10,974 | 97.5% |
| Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $37,813 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | St. John's College · Santa Fe, NM | $37,727 | $26,674 | $16,014 | 53.2% |
| St. John's College has an average net price of $16,014 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 55%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for New Mexico, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The underlying earnings figures are the median earnings of each institution's federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those who were working and not enrolled. The composite score is not a measure of fit or teaching quality. The list includes 7 public and 2 private nonprofit institutions.