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Las Cruces, NM · Silver City, NM
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus | Western New Mexico University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $8,889/yr | $8,522/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $6,648/yr | $8,381/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $17,095 | $23,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $7,424/yr | $8,336/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,861/yr | $12,493/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $13,146/yr | No data reported |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $14,049/yr | $13,210/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $181/mo | $244/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $12,282/yr | $10,940/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $14,052/yr | $10,820/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,250/yr | $900/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,536/yr | $5,015/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $23,274/yr | $21,562/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,183/yr | $7,856/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $25,307/yr | $14,342/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 38% | 43% |
| Students taking federal loans | 20% | 22% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 89% | No data reported |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 870–1110 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1011 | No data reported |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 17–24 | No data reported |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 15–24 · Math 16–23 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | No data reported |
| Applications received | 15,201 | No data reported |
| Students accepted | 11,511 | No data reported |
| Students who enrolled | 2,391 | No data reported |
| Accepted students who enroll | 21% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 71% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 22% | No data reported |
| High-school GPA | Required | No data reported |
| High-school transcript | Required | No data reported |
| Essay | Not considered | No data reported |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | No data reported |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| College-prep program | Not considered | No data reported |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | No data reported |
| Work experience | Not considered | No data reported |
| English proficiency test | Required | No data reported |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | No data reported |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | No data reported |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 55% | 32% |
| Freshmen who come back | 73% | 58% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $39,067/yr | $39,095/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $21,257–$61,878 | $19,266–$60,604 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 54% | 52% |
| White students graduating | 61% | 32% |
| Black students graduating | 43% | 22% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 54% | 35% |
| Asian students graduating | 58% | 50% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $32,960/yr | $31,166/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 60% | 55% |
| Graduate on time | 34% | 15% |
| Pell students who graduate | 50% | 27% |
| First-gen students who finish | 30% | 26% |
| Low-income students who finish | 28% | 24% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 26% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $36,423/yr | $33,484/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Engineering 13% · Business, Management & Marketing 12% · Health Professions 9% | Education 20% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 20% · Business, Management & Marketing 12% |
| Most popular program | Engineering — 13% of degrees | Education — 20% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 12% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 20% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 9% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees | Precision Production — 10% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 6% of degrees | Health Professions — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering — $82,790/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $73,666/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 29% | 4.7% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 11,946 | 2,026 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 12 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 2,901 | 902 |
| Average professor pay | $10,198/mo | $8,468/mo |
| Full-time professors | 75% | 43% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $23,951 | $21,494 |
| Setting | Suburb (midsize) | Town (remote) |
| Location | Las Cruces, NM | Silver City, NM |
| Region | Southwest | Southwest |
| Founded | 1888 | 1893 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.5% | 3.8% |
| Men | 42% | 33% |
| Women | 58% | 67% |
| White students | 24% | 27% |
| Black students | 2.2% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 64% | 56% |
| Asian students | 1% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3% | 2.8% |
| Other / not reported | 3.3% | 6.1% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 44% | 48% |
| Part-time students | 15% | 38% |
| Students age 25+ | 20% | 38% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $12,132/yr | $9,617/yr |
| Endowment | $88.7M | $34.4M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 3,269 | 382 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,506/yr | $5,990/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,520/yr | $4,950/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 21 meals/week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | No |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division II with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 14 | 13 |
| Student athletes | 441 | 250 |
| Athletic scholarships | $8.8M | $2.5M |
| Athletics budget | $37.1M | $6.1M |
| Athletics revenue | $37.1M | $6.1M |
| Recruiting spend | $697,435 | $84,957 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.