New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, New Mexico · Public · 89.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
New Mexico State University-Main Campus earns the Below Benchmark tier with an overall ROI score of 31 out of 100, but that headline number obscures a sharply bifurcated reality: NMSU's engineering and STEM programs are genuinely strong, while many of its humanities and social sciences programs produce poor outcomes that drag down the average. Overall, in-state tuition is $8,183 per year and the average net price is just $8,889 - a real bargain. The four-year total cost is $35,556. The problem is the earnings side: median 10-year earnings of $39,067, just an 11.4% premium over high school graduates, and a 43.2-year payback period that signals the typical graduate barely recoups their investment. Median debt of $17,095 is actually quite reasonable, and the 0.576 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable. The 55.2% completion rate is mediocre. NMSU is a major land-grant research university with real strengths - the question is which programs students enroll in, because the variance between program-level outcomes is enormous.
How New Mexico State University-Main Campus scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score31/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period43.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,183/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,307/yr |
| Average net price | $8,889/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $35,556 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $39,067 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,095 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $181 |
| Estimated payback period | 43.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,946 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,183/year ($25,307/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $8,889/year, or roughly $35,556 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $6,648/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $14,049/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,095, which works out to about $181 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($29,700) and comes to 0.58, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $6,648 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,424 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,861 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,146 |
| $110,001+ | $14,049 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of just $6,648 per year. Over four years that's roughly $27,000, often substantially offset by Pell and state grant aid. For a low-income New Mexico student admitted to engineering or nursing, NMSU is genuinely an outstanding value play. The risk is the 55.2% completion rate.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $9,861 per year, and $75,001-$110,000 pays $13,146. The math is sharply favorable for any middle-income family whose student commits to a STEM major; less so for humanities tracks given the weak earnings outcomes from those programs.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning above $110,000 pay $14,049 per year, or roughly $56,000 over four years. Out-of-state students pay much more ($25,307 in tuition alone).
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at New Mexico State University-Main Campus with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $78,951 | B+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,834 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $43,872 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,742 | B+ |
| Psychology | $45,637 | C |
| Biology | $52,567 | D |
| Teacher Education | $51,592 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $94,024 | B+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $60,970 | C |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $96,510 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is NMSU's largest professional pipeline with 182 graduates per year. Median earnings of $73,229 first year and $78,951 by year four, against just $20,500 of debt, produce a stellar 0.28 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. Probably the single best major-school combination for a New Mexico student looking for direct vocational return.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 152 students per year with a C ROI grade. Median earnings of $29,553 first year and $49,834 at four years against $20,642 of debt produce a 0.698 debt-to-earnings ratio. Earnings reflect the modest pay scale of New Mexico law enforcement and corrections; the program's affordability prevents it from sliding into D territory. Reasonable for students with clear career plans in those fields.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences is the third-largest program at 141 graduates per year and produces a D ROI grade. Median earnings of $31,568 first year and $43,872 at four years against $24,656 of debt produce a 0.781 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is often a degree-completion catch-all and the earnings reflect the lack of vocational specificity. Students gravitating here without a clear post-graduate plan should reconsider.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering graduates 122 students per year with a B+ ROI grade - $62,813 first year, $85,742 at four years, $18,759 in debt, 0.299 debt-to-earnings ratio. NMSU's College of Engineering is one of the school's genuine assets, and the relatively low debt makes the math even better. Students here capture far more value than the institution-wide ROI score suggests.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 104 students per year with a C ROI grade. Median earnings of $26,250 first year and $45,637 at four years against $17,725 of debt produce a 0.675 debt-to-earnings ratio. Earnings are weak but the modest debt prevents the grade from cratering. As with most psychology programs, the bachelor's alone underperforms; students should plan for graduate school.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 49.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How New Mexico State University-Main Campus’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 89.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 11,946 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,198 |
NMSU admits 89% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of Math 420-540 and Reading 450-570, and ACT 17-24. The combination of broad admission and a 55.2% completion rate suggests significant academic preparation gaps among matriculants.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
NMSU's score is 31.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus (this school) | 31 | $8,889 | $39,067 |
| East Tennessee State University | 35 | $15,983 | $44,859 |
| Western Kentucky University | 34 | $10,990 | $43,889 |
| Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | 34 | $4,904 | $38,550 |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 32 | $24,022 | $47,896 |
| Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development | 18 | $12,570 | $24,505 |
Who Thrives Here
NMSU is an excellent fit for in-state New Mexico students - particularly those targeting Engineering, Computer Science, or Nursing, where ROI grades hit A or B+. The 11,946 enrollment provides genuine research-university scale; the 38.5% Pell rate signals strong access for working-class families. Students drifting into Liberal Arts, Animal Sciences, Anthropology, or general business should think very carefully - those programs at NMSU produce D or F grades despite the school's affordable price point. The Las Cruces location and Hispanic-serving institution status make it especially valuable for first-generation students from southern New Mexico.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, New Mexico State University-Main Campus scores 31/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $8,889 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $39,067 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 43.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $17,095 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus: Common Questions
Is New Mexico State University-Main Campus worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. New Mexico State University-Main Campus scores 31/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $8,889 a year after aid against $39,067 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 43.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does New Mexico State University-Main Campus cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $8,889 a year, or roughly $35,556 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do New Mexico State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $39,067 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 43.2 years for New Mexico State University-Main Campus. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do New Mexico State University-Main Campus graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,095, against average earnings of $29,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Main Campus?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.2%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.