Las Cruces, New Mexico Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Las Cruces, New Mexico shows: median public in-state tuition $5,252 (-4.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $39,067 (-28.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 82.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $17,095 (+27.3% vs U.S.) 17,247 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 4 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 17,247 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $5,252 (-4.7% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $39,067 (-28.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 82.7% (-5.3 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $8,889 (-10.8% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $17,095 (+27.3% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,012
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 55.2%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 73.4%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Las Cruces, New Mexico—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against New Mexico and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Las Cruces vs New Mexico & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces, New Mexico | $5,252 | $8,889 | $17,095 | 55.2% | 17,247 |
| New Mexico (state median) | $2,235 | $5,908 | $11,356 | 37.0% | 80,490 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Las Cruces, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces, New Mexico | $39,067 | 82.7% | 73.4% | 15.3% | — | 65.0% | 0.44 |
| New Mexico (state median) | $41,944 | 82.1% | 66.1% | 12.5% | — | 65.0% | 0.42 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in New Mexico (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces, New Mexico | $5,252 | $8,889 | $17,095 | 55.2% | 17,247 | $39,067 | 82.7% |
| Albuquerque | $2,060 | $15,620 | $8,250 | 50.9% | 34,545 | $37,184 | 81.4% |
| Santa Fe | $5,920 | $12,570 | $7,999 | 34.8% | 4,161 | $34,745 | 77.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 55.2%, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 82.7%, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 most selective colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 89.0%, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $82,790, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $96,510, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,960, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $36,423, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $39,067, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $147,152, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $8,889, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Top 10 colleges in Las Cruces, New Mexico by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 73.4%, New Mexico State University-Main Campus
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
In-state tuition: Las Cruces, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Las Cruces, New Mexico median in-state tuition is $5,252, -4.7% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Las Cruces, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Las Cruces, New Mexico is $17,095 (+27.3% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,012.
Median earnings (10 years out): Las Cruces, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Las Cruces, New Mexico center around $39,067 (-28.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Las Cruces, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 82.7% at the median Las Cruces, New Mexico campus (-5.3 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Las Cruces, New Mexico median public in-state tuition is $5,252, about -4.7% vs the national median. Versus the Southwest region, tuition is +42.5%.
Median graduate debt is $17,095 (+27.3% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Las Cruces, New Mexico are $39,067, about -28.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 82.7% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-5.3 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 73.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 15.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 65.0% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include New Mexico State University-Main Campus (82.7%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Las Cruces, New Mexico is 55.2% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Las Cruces?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 4 campuses in Las Cruces, New Mexico with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Las Cruces?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Las Cruces is $5,252 and median net price is $8,889. For New Mexico overall, medians are $2,235 and $5,908; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Las Cruces?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Las Cruces is $39,067 vs $41,944 for New Mexico and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Las Cruces colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Las Cruces is $17,095 vs $11,356 for New Mexico and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Las Cruces?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include New Mexico State University-Main Campus (graduation) and New Mexico State University-Main Campus (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Las Cruces?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 5 campuses in Las Cruces, New Mexico, 4 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Olympian Academy of Cosmetology, New Mexico State University-Dona Ana, and New Mexico State University-Main Campus.
Sources & related
- New Mexico college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON