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New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus admits nearly everyone — 89% of applicants. A feature, not a flaw: the page below asks whether New Mexico State University-Main Campus is worth attending, not whether you'll get in.
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New Mexico State University-Main Campus occupies suburban Las Cruces, NM — a public campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, where graduates median $96,510 four years out. Faculty pay averages $122,376 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 11,946 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 73.4% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 885 and 1110 — below the NM middle for four-year schools. 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.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 885–1110 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, New Mexico State University-Main Campus's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 450 | 500 | 560 |
| SAT Math | 435 | 490 | 550 |
| ACT Composite | 17 | 20 | 24 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, New Mexico State University-Main Campus received 15,201 applications and admitted 11,511 (75.7%), with 2,391 enrolling.
How New Mexico State University-Main Campus compares
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus | New Mexico median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 89% | 90.3% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,183 | $8,183 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $39,067 | $41,944 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, New Mexico State University-Main Campus's median earnings are $39,067 — below the New Mexico benchmark of $41,944. Weigh that against the $8,183 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, New Mexico State University-Main Campus prices by residency: $8,183 in-state versus $25,307 out-of-state — a $17,124 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus enrolls 11,946 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs New Mexico State University-Main Campus's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
55.2% graduate within six years. Roughly 45% don't — ask a New Mexico State University-Main Campus tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at New Mexico State University-Main Campus
| Bachelor's program | 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 |
Median earnings for these 41 New Mexico State University-Main Campus programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $39,067 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 38 additional New Mexico State University-Main Campus programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 885–1110 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 89% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is New Mexico State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate?
75.7% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 11,511 admitted from 15,201 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 do New Mexico State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $39,067 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
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: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.