Santa Fe, New Mexico Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Santa Fe, New Mexico: median public in-state tuition $6,090 (+6.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $35,961 (-39.5% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 78.0% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $19,531 (+44.7% vs U.S.) 4,161 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Santa Fe serve students across New Mexico with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 7 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 4,161 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $6,090. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Santa Fe, New Mexico and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Santa Fe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, New Mexico | $6,090 | $11,199 | $19,531 | 43.9% | 4,161 |
| New Mexico (state median) | $2,286 | $5,742 | $13,750 | 38.0% | 80,152 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Santa Fe, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, New Mexico | $35,961 | 78.0% | 76.4% | 9.0% | — | 80.5% | 0.44 |
| New Mexico (state median) | $44,868 | 86.3% | 66.1% | 12.5% | — | 65.0% | 0.34 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, New Mexico | $6,090 | $11,199 | $19,531 | 43.9% | 4,161 | $35,961 | 78.0% |
| Albuquerque | $2,136 | $19,966 | $9,500 | 48.9% | 34,545 | $43,938 | 85.8% |
| Las Cruces | $5,274 | $6,313 | $14,980 | 53.6% | 17,247 | $43,922 | 85.9% |
| Hobbs | $9,771 | $11,608 | $10,744 | 19.2% | 2,521 | $47,669 | 91.4% |
| Las Vegas | $4,386 | $19,854 | $11,745 | 30.2% | 1,874 | $48,104 | 88.3% |
| Las Vegas | $4,386 | $19,854 | $11,745 | 30.2% | 1,874 | $48,104 | 88.3% |
| Roswell | $4,828 | $4,244 | $13,750 | N/A | 1,631 | N/A | N/A |
| Roswell | $4,828 | $4,244 | $13,750 | N/A | 1,631 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Santa Fe, 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, $22,641, Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Top 2 colleges in Santa Fe, 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, $31,541, Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $30,778, St. John's College
St. John's College
Top 2 colleges in Santa Fe, 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, $88,750, St. John's College
St. John's College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $81,712, Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Santa Fe, 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, $11,199, Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
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Rank 2, Net Price, $22,480, St. John's College
St. John's College
In-state tuition: Santa Fe, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Santa Fe, New Mexico median in-state tuition is $6,090, +6.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Santa Fe, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Santa Fe, New Mexico is $19,531 (+44.7% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $12,048.
Median earnings (10 years out): Santa Fe, New Mexico vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Santa Fe, New Mexico center around $35,961 (-39.5% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Santa Fe, 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 78.0% at the median Santa Fe, New Mexico campus (-15.0 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
Santa Fe, New Mexico median public in-state tuition is $6,090, about +6.8% vs the national median. Versus the Southwest region, tuition is +64.0%.
Median graduate debt is $19,531 (+44.7% above the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Santa Fe, New Mexico are $35,961, about -39.5% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 78.0% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-15.0 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 76.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 9.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 80.5% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Santa Fe, New Mexico is 43.9% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Santa Fe?
This city profile covers 7 campuses in Santa Fe, New Mexico with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Santa Fe?
Median in-state tuition in Santa Fe is $6,090 and median net price is $11,199. For New Mexico overall, medians are $2,286 and $5,742; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Santa Fe?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Santa Fe is $35,961 vs $44,868 for New Mexico and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Santa Fe colleges?
Median completer debt in Santa Fe is $19,531 vs $13,750 for New Mexico and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Santa Fe?
Among 7 campuses in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1 tribal college (IPEDS TRIBAL flag), including Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; 3 campuses report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include Santa Fe Community College, Vogue College of Cosmetology-Santa Fe, and Glitz School of Cosmetology - Santa Fe Campus.
Sources & related
- New Mexico college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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