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New Mexico State University-Main Campus

New Mexico State University-Main Campus reports 11,946 undergraduates in Las Cruces, NM. Its federal reporting group is labeled New Mexico State University. The federal record identifies it as a land-grant institution.

Check the campus and reporting scope

New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, New Mexico · Federal institution ID (UNITID): 188030.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (New Mexico State University).

Shared outcomes cannot rank campuses. Reporting-group definitions.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$5,104

family income
under $30k

$5,724

$30–48k

$8,877

$48–75k

$10,223

$75–110k

$10,360

over $110k

Average net price

$8,8892023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at New Mexico State University-Main Campus has wandered from 2008 to 2023 — up to $10,428 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at $8,889.

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$8,485
2009	$10,149
2010	$9,797
2011	$10,032
2012	$10,158
2013	$9,531
2014	$9,663
2015	$9,571
2016	$8,625
2017	$7,867
2018	$8,659
2019	$10,428
2020	$9,979
2021	$8,495
2022	$6,747
2023	$8,889

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$23,2742024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at New Mexico State University-Main Campus rose from $14,848 (2009) to $23,274 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$14,848
2010	$15,623
2011	$16,822
2012	$17,101
2013	$17,290
2014	$16,863
2015	$17,572
2016	$17,053
2017	$17,124
2018	$17,885
2019	$18,703
2020	$19,760
2021	$19,510
2022	$20,465
2023	$20,930
2024	$23,274

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition (in-state vs out-of-state)

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition — data
Year	In-state	Out-of-state
2000	$2,790	$9,162
2001	$3,006	$10,014
2002	$3,216	$10,788
2003	$3,372	$11,250
2004	$3,666	$12,210
2005	$3,918	$13,206
2006	$4,230	$13,803
2007	$4,452	$14,180
2008	$4,758	$14,740
2013	$6,220	$19,644
2014	$5,950	$19,112
2015	$6,094	$19,652
2016	$6,094	$19,652
2017	$6,461	$21,022
2018	$6,686	$21,770
2019	$7,087	$23,076
2020	$7,301	$23,767
2021	$7,301	$23,767
2022	$7,627	$24,751
2023	$8,147	$25,271

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

New Mexico State University-Main Campus reports published tuition by residency: $8,183 in-state versus $25,307 out-of-state — a $17,124 gap that makes state lines part of the decision. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

New Mexico State University-Main Campus reports 11,946 undergraduate students. Enrollment is a headcount, not a measure of teaching access.

55.2% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at New Mexico State University-Main Campus within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

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55.2%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus rose from 39.5% (entered 1991) to 55.2% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	39.5%
1992 cohort	42.3%
1993 cohort	44%
1994 cohort	45.4%
1995 cohort	43.4%
1996 cohort	46.2%
1997 cohort	42.7%
1998 cohort	43.3%
1999 cohort	41.8%
2000 cohort	36.8%
2001 cohort	45.1%
2002 cohort	43.1%
2003 cohort	44.7%
2004 cohort	44.7%
2005 cohort	45.8%
2006 cohort	44.1%
2007 cohort	43.3%
2008 cohort	45.7%
2009 cohort	42.5%
2010 cohort	44.6%
2011 cohort	45.9%
2012 cohort	46.7%
2013 cohort	48.2%
2014 cohort	51.1%
2015 cohort	50.4%
2016 cohort	50.9%
2017 cohort	52.2%
2018 cohort	55.2%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (New Mexico State University).

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$10,159	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$10,298	$2,626
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$10,189	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$9,563	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$9,300	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$9,460	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$9,725	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$10,488	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$11,000	$2,813
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$11,087	$3,313
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$11,526	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$12,750	$4,262
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$13,764	$4,925
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$14,487	$5,247
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$15,000	$5,188
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$15,753	$5,484
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$16,811	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$17,250	$5,750
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$16,750	$6,438
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$17,000	$6,750
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$18,370	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$19,123	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$18,464	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$17,095	$6,043

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$32,960

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$36,423

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$39,067

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years. Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (New Mexico State University).

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

New Mexico State University-Main Campus admitted 11,650 of 13,095 applicants in Fall 2024. The 89% rate describes that application pool.

89%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $8,147 in-state tuition · 2023–24 11,946 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 870–11101600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

New Mexico State University-Main Campus reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For New Mexico State University-Main Campus’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 450–570 and Math was 420–540 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 870–1110 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	450	510	570
SAT Math	420	490	540
ACT Composite	17	20	24

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

In the Fall 2024 cycle, New Mexico State University-Main Campus received 13,095 applications and admitted 11,650 (89%), with 2,404 enrolling.

Acceptance rate

89%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	62%
Fall 2002	80.7%
Fall 2003	84.2%
Fall 2004	81.5%
Fall 2005	81.2%
Fall 2006	87.1%
Fall 2007	85.2%
Fall 2008	60.8%
Fall 2009	96.3%
Fall 2010	94.6%
Fall 2011	80.3%
Fall 2012	80%
Fall 2013	85.2%
Fall 2014	69.6%
Fall 2015	65.8%
Fall 2016	59.6%
Fall 2017	63.8%
Fall 2018	65.7%
Fall 2019	54.6%
Fall 2020	62.7%
Fall 2021	57.3%
Fall 2022	78%
Fall 2023	75.7%
Fall 2024	89%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

870–1110Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2004	880	1090
Fall 2005	880	1120
Fall 2006	840	1090
Fall 2007	850	1110
Fall 2008	860	1120
Fall 2009	850	1090
Fall 2010	830	1080
Fall 2011	840	1070
Fall 2012	850	1120
Fall 2013	830	1080
Fall 2014	830	1085
Fall 2015	840	1070
Fall 2016	820	1070
Fall 2017	910	1160
Fall 2018	940	1160
Fall 2019	950	1150
Fall 2020	950	1150
Fall 2021	920	1140
Fall 2022	900	1140
Fall 2023	885	1110
Fall 2024	870	1110

IPEDS Fall 2004–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

17–24Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	18	23
Fall 2002	18	23
Fall 2003	18	23
Fall 2004	18	24
Fall 2005	18	23
Fall 2006	17	23
Fall 2007	17	23
Fall 2008	18	24
Fall 2009	18	23
Fall 2010	18	24
Fall 2011	18	24
Fall 2012	18	24
Fall 2013	18	24
Fall 2014	18	24
Fall 2015	18	24
Fall 2016	18	24
Fall 2017	18	23
Fall 2018	17	23
Fall 2019	18	23
Fall 2020	17	23
Fall 2021	17	23
Fall 2022	17	23
Fall 2023	17	24
Fall 2024	17	24

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

11,946Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at New Mexico State University-Main Campus has wandered from Fall 2002 to Fall 2024 — up to 14,651 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at 11,946.

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	11,753
Fall 2003	11,968
Fall 2004	12,145
Fall 2005	12,537
Fall 2006	12,793
Fall 2007	13,219
Fall 2008	13,543
Fall 2009	14,524
Fall 2010	14,651
Fall 2011	13,599
Fall 2012	13,399
Fall 2013	12,886
Fall 2014	12,171
Fall 2015	11,887
Fall 2016	11,421
Fall 2017	11,173
Fall 2018	11,139
Fall 2019	11,153
Fall 2020	11,107
Fall 2021	10,674
Fall 2022	11,065
Fall 2023	11,561
Fall 2024	11,946

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

73%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at New Mexico State University-Main Campus has held near 73% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	72%
Fall 2003 cohort	73%
Fall 2004 cohort	71%
Fall 2005 cohort	72%
Fall 2006 cohort	73%
Fall 2007 cohort	74%
Fall 2008 cohort	72%
Fall 2009 cohort	72%
Fall 2010 cohort	70%
Fall 2011 cohort	72%
Fall 2012 cohort	74%
Fall 2013 cohort	74%
Fall 2014 cohort	74%
Fall 2015 cohort	72%
Fall 2016 cohort	74%
Fall 2017 cohort	74%
Fall 2018 cohort	75%
Fall 2019 cohort	75%
Fall 2020 cohort	72%
Fall 2021 cohort	72%
Fall 2022 cohort	75%
Fall 2023 cohort	73%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about New Mexico State University-Main Campus

38.5% of New Mexico State University-Main Campus's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes New Mexico State University-Main Campus as a primarily residential campus of 11,946 undergraduates — and 73.4% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

New Mexico State University-Main Campus's SAT section-percentile sums are 870–1110 — their midpoint is below the NM four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on New Mexico State University-Main Campus's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How New Mexico State University-Main Campus compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

New Mexico State University-Main Campus89%

New Mexico median90.3%

National median76.8%

Tuition (in-state)

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

New Mexico State University-Main Campus$8,183

New Mexico median$8,183

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

New Mexico State University-Main Campus's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (New Mexico State University).

New Mexico State University reporting group (shared)$39,067

New Mexico median$41,944

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

New Mexico State University-Main Campus, New Mexico and national reference values
Metric & basis	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	New Mexico median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	89%	90.3%	76.8%
Tuition (in-state)Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$8,183	$8,183	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$39,067Shared group value	$41,944	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For New Mexico State University-Main Campus, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

New Mexico State University-Main Campus federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 41 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	$96,510
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	$95,683
Computer and Information Sciences, General	$94,024
Chemical Engineering	$90,091
Mechanical Engineering	$85,742
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General	$81,690
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	$78,951
Civil Engineering	$74,115
Finance and Financial Management Services	$68,890
Agricultural Business and Management	$63,139
Marketing	$63,115
Business/Commerce, General	$60,970
Special Education and Teaching	$58,953
Accounting and Related Services	$57,219
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$54,077
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	$53,428
Biology, General	$52,567
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$51,972
Political Science and Government	$51,641
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$51,592
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$50,998
Social Work	$50,295
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$49,834
Hospitality Administration/Management	$49,444
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	$49,080
Sociology	$48,419
Journalism	$45,765
Psychology, General	$45,637
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management	$44,272
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$43,872
Public Health	$42,410
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	$40,432
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	$39,479
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	$39,293
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	$38,142
Film/Video and Photographic Arts	$37,880
Animal Sciences	$36,858
Graphic Communications	$33,612
English Language and Literature, General	$32,767
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	$30,355
Visual and Performing Arts, General	$27,875

These 41 fields listed for New Mexico State University-Main Campus measure earnings after completion. The $39,067 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 38 additional New Mexico State University-Main Campus fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules. Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (New Mexico State University).

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does New Mexico State University-Main Campus report?

New Mexico State University-Main Campus's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 870–1110 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is New Mexico State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate?

89% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 11,650 admitted from 13,095 applicants.

How much does New Mexico State University-Main Campus cost?

In-state tuition is $8,183; out-of-state students pay $25,307. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.

What earnings data does New Mexico State University-Main Campus report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $39,067. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in New Mexico

University of New Mexico-Main Campus — 95.2% admitted
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development — 97.5% admitted
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus — 91.7% admitted
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology — 44.5% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.