College Scorecard
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $20,868. College Scorecard.
Higher than 30% of New Mexico colleges we cover and 9% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 90% of New Mexico colleges we cover and 29% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
New Mexico Highlands University acceptance rate & admissions
Test scores: College Scorecard. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
New Mexico Highlands University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for New Mexico residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What New Mexico Highlands University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of New Mexico Highlands University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in New Mexico. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,511 | $60,529 | 4.0 years |
| $30–48k | $13,947 | $62,483 | 4.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,175 | $67,984 | 4.5 years |
| $75–110k | $16,508 | $73,956 | 4.9 years |
| $110k+ | $16,530 | $74,054 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (16% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($45,937) minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,214 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
New Mexico Highlands University majors, earnings & careers
New Mexico Highlands University offers 27 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
Highest-earning majors at New Mexico Highlands University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $97,309 | $21,392 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $62,375 | — |
| Business Administration | $57,821 | $16,760 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $53,566 | $18,375 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $52,517 | $18,375 |
| Criminal Justice | $45,868 | — |
| Psychology | $43,926 | $9,894 |
Quick list of all 27 majors
- Biology—
- Business Administration$57,821
- Chemistry—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminal Justice$45,868
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$53,566
- Education (Subject Teaching)$62,375
- English—
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Film and Photography—
- Forestry—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Information Science / Studies—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$52,517
- Music—
- Nursing$97,309
- Political Science—
- Psychology$43,926
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
- Studio Art—
- Zoology / Animal Biology—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Las Vegas
2 bedrooms $1,077.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 17 inches of rain a year, 22 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, San Miguel County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
San Miguel County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare New Mexico Highlands University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in New Mexico by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Highlands University | — | $14,838 | 26% | $45,937 | This school |
| Northern New Mexico College | — | $7,276 | 29% | $38,112 | |
| Western New Mexico University | — | $8,522 | 32% | $39,095 | |
| Navajo Technical University | — | $5,338 | 12% | $26,364 | |
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | 44% | $9,873 | 57% | $76,489 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
New Mexico Highlands University would cost you $7,562 more per year than Northern New Mexico College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at New Mexico Highlands University.
- Northern New Mexico College gives aided families $6,396 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New Mexico resident | New Mexico Highlands University | Northern New Mexico College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $20,868 | $19,702 | +$1,166 |
| Average grants | −$6,030 | −$12,426 | +$6,396 |
| You pay | $14,838 | $7,276 | +$7,562 |
“+” means New Mexico Highlands University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about New Mexico Highlands University
How much does New Mexico Highlands University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $20,868 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,838 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $13,511 and families earning $110k+ pay $16,530.
How much do New Mexico Highlands University graduates earn?
Former New Mexico Highlands University students earn a median $45,937 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the New Mexico Highlands University graduation rate?
26% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 50% return for their second year.
How long does a New Mexico Highlands University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at New Mexico Highlands University costs about $67,984 after grants ($15,175 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $45,937 ten years after starting, $15,214 more than high school graduates in New Mexico ($30,723), so the cost is repaid in 4.5 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is New Mexico Highlands University the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “New Mexico Highlands University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/new-mexico-highlands-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).