Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #432 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus sits in the 68.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $2,442 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #694 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus earns its composite standing primarily through access and earnings beyond expectations — two pillars that together reflect a public institution doing meaningful work for students who might otherwise lack a clear path to a four-year degree. Graduates earn median $54,827 four years after enrollment, and the institution's earnings-beyond-expectations position among nonprofit four-year institutions signals that those outcomes exceed what similar students typically achieve elsewhere.
Eastern New Mexico University's published cost of attendance is $18,940. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that figure: low-income families pay approximately $3,663, middle-income families pay around $5,960, and higher-income families pay approximately $9,996. Azimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #46 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a regional public university, Eastern New Mexico's net prices reflect the institution's public tuition structure and aid availability across income levels. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,200; 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 the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,827, median federal debt of $16,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $186 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus is a public university in Portales, NM that suits students drawn to Liberal Arts and related fields who want a broadly accessible public university with low net costs and a straightforward path to a degree. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $54,827, placing Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus in the 24.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn about $2,442 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus in the 68.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad: 35.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 45.6% are first-generation students, and Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus sits in the 5.2 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — making it a realistic option for cost-sensitive and first-generation families in West. Students who apply here should weigh two honest constraints: the program portfolio centers on Liberal Arts and adjacent fields, so students seeking applied-professional or STEM-intensive programs will find a narrower range of options, and the regional labor market in eastern NM is smaller than those surrounding larger urban campuses.
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.
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This is the Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Azimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #432 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Portales, NM, Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus enrolls roughly 3,357 undergraduates. Retention stands at 62.0% and the six-year graduation rate is 45.1%, figures that reflect the institution's broad-access mission and the student population it serves. The composite is anchored by what Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus does for students who might not otherwise reach a four-year degree. 35.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 45.6% are first-generation college students — a profile that places Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus among the most access-oriented institutions in the Azimuth coverage set. Azimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #721 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $54,827, and earn about $2,442 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus in the 68.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and affordability shape the composite more than raw earnings do. Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus admits about 91.7% of applicants, reflecting a broad-access admissions posture consistent with its regional public mission. The dominant program family is Liberal Arts, which aligns with the institution's role preparing graduates for careers in education, public service, and regional industries across NM. Affordability sits in the 96.8 percentile and access in the 53.1 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, underscoring that Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus's value proposition centers on opening pathways rather than maximizing headline earnings.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worcester State University Similar quality tier (#15457 ranked) | MA | 88% | $60,624 | #15457 | Compare |
State University Of New York At New Paltz Similar quality tier (#15466 ranked) | NY | 62% | $58,073 | #15466 | Compare |
Suny Oneonta Similar quality tier (#15445 ranked) | NY | 70% | $60,386 | #15445 | Compare |
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock Similar quality tier in Southwest (#15480 ranked) | AR | 59% | $45,265 | #15480 | Compare |
East Tennessee State University Similar quality tier (#15483 ranked) | TN | 86% | $44,859 | #15483 | Compare |
Air Transportation
30 graduates
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
8 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
20 graduates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
37 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
47 graduates
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus's program mix is anchored in liberal arts and applied professional fields — a signature typical of regional public universities serving rural and first-generation student populations in the Southwest. Liberal Arts forms the core of the institution's degree output, with additional concentration in education, business, and health-related fields.
Across 25 programs, 12 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, collectively serving roughly 709 students annually. The program combining the broadest enrollment scale with solid earnings outcomes is General Studies, which anchors the institution's aggregate return profile.
Among the most popular programs, General Studies program graduates 151 students with median earnings of $55,379 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #52 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services and Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions also enroll substantial cohorts of 71 and 53 graduates respectively, with four-year median earnings of $48,819 and $50,598.
The highest-earning programs at Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus reflect a mix of applied professional and technical fields. Air Transportation leads on earnings, with graduates posting median earnings of $103,617 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks it #7 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Criminal Justice and Business Administration follow, with graduates earning $56,614 and $55,454 respectively at the four-year mark, pointing to the strongest direct-to-workforce pathways available at the institution. For context on how these fields align with national labor-market demand, the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides useful framing.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Eastern New Mexico University's published cost of attendance is $18,940. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that figure: low-income families pay approximately $3,663, middle-income families pay around $5,960, and higher-income families pay approximately $9,996.
Azimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #46 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a regional public university, Eastern New Mexico's net prices reflect the institution's public tuition structure and aid availability across income levels.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,200; 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 the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,827, median federal debt of $16,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $186 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 Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus earn median 4-year earnings of $54,827, placing Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus in the 24.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,442 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus in the 68.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus #721 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus also sits in the 5.2 percentile for median low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon, with low-income graduates earning $30,600.
The program mix at Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus is anchored in Liberal Arts, with Business accounting for 10% of graduates, followed by Education at 8% and Arts at 5%. The highest aggregate-return program is General Studies, which combines meaningful cohort scale with competitive median earnings.
Among the programs with the strongest four-year earnings outcomes, General Studies program graduates 151 students with median earnings of $55,379 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #52 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services and Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions also deliver competitive early-career pay, with Azimuth ranking Communication Disorders Sciences and Services #80 and Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions #16 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Broader fields such as Business Administration and Psychology, General enroll larger cohorts and reflect the institution's Liberal Arts-oriented program signature, with graduates entering regional labor markets in NM where median earnings for working adults without a degree stand at $29,897.
