More selective than 20% of New Mexico colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,259. College Scorecard.
Higher than 70% of New Mexico colleges we cover and 51% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 60% of New Mexico colleges we cover and 25% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
UNM acceptance rate & admissions
Of 12,907 applicants, University of New Mexico admitted 12,320 and 3,612 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 890–1170 on the SAT or 19–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
UNM 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 UNM costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of New Mexico took 4.4 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 | $11,938 | $52,408 | 3.7 years |
| $30–48k | $13,045 | $57,268 | 4.1 years |
| $48–75k | $16,196 | $71,100 | 5.1 years |
| $75–110k | $17,906 | $78,607 | 5.6 years |
| $110k+ | $19,053 | $83,643 | 5.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (36% 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 ($44,792) minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,069 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.
UNM majors, earnings & careers
University of New Mexico offers 68 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 16
- Engineering · 10
- Health & Medicine · 9
- Science & Math · 9
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 9
- Arts & Design · 6
- Education · 4
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at UNM
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $126,356 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $112,064 | $22,919 |
| Chemical Engineering | $96,810 | $20,187 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $94,990 | $17,014 |
| Electrical Engineering | $90,529 | $26,436 |
| Nursing | $86,559 | $25,271 |
| Engineering Science | $86,015 | — |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $84,858 | $22,294 |
Quick list of all 68 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$84,858
- American Sign Language—
- Anthropology$47,958
- Architectural Sciences and Technology$50,263
- Architecture$48,424
- Area Studies$37,949
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biochemistry$48,873
- Biology$51,987
- Business Administration$62,431
- Chemical Engineering$96,810
- Chemistry$56,319
- Civil Engineering$81,933
- Classics—
- Communications—
- Community Organization and Advocacy—
- Computer and Information Sciences$112,064
- Computer Engineering$126,356
- Criminal Justice$52,311
- Dance—
- Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$67,561
- Economics$62,005
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$50,231
- Education (Subject Teaching)$49,309
- Educational / Instructional Media Design—
- Electrical Engineering$90,529
- Engineering Science$86,015
- English$46,850
- Environmental Design—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies$45,139
- Family and Consumer Sciences / Human Sciences$46,421
- Film and Photography—
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$46,674
- Geography$67,336
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- History$55,464
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies$33,116
- Journalism$52,760
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$47,770
- Linguistics$31,036
- Mathematics$72,979
- Mechanical Engineering$94,990
- Medical Laboratory Science$71,995
- Music—
- Nuclear Engineering—
- Nursing$86,559
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$52,569
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$46,693
- Public Health—
- Religious Studies—
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Sociology$52,094
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$45,343
- Special Education$53,429
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$49,834
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$35,527
- Theatre$40,085
- Visual and Performing Arts$44,091
- Writing$56,244
— 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
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Albuquerque
Overall prices in the Albuquerque, NM area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,384. Housing costs 11% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 10 inches of rain a year, 8 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Bernalillo County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Bernalillo County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare UNM 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of New Mexico | 95% | $15,489 | 55% | $44,792 | This school |
| New Mexico State University | 89% | $8,889 | 55% | $39,067 | |
| Eastern New Mexico University | 92% | $4,904 | 45% | $38,550 | |
| Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development | 97% | $12,570 | 15% | $24,505 | |
| Western New Mexico University | — | $8,522 | 32% | $39,095 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of New Mexico would cost you $6,600 more per year than New Mexico State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of New Mexico, mostly from more University of New Mexico students living at home, which lowers its average (−$3,928).
- New Mexico State University gives aided families $8,615 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New Mexico resident | UNM | NMSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,140 | $8,183 | +$1,957 |
| Books & supplies | $1,328 | $1,240 | +$88 |
| Housing & meals | $11,884 | $12,026 | −$142 |
| Personal & travel | $4,708 | $4,698 | +$10 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$6,801 | −$2,873 | −$3,928 |
| Sticker price | $21,259 | $23,274 | −$2,015 |
| Average grants | −$5,770 | −$14,385 | +$8,615 |
| You pay | $15,489 | $8,889 | +$6,600 |
“+” means UNM 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 UNM
What is the UNM acceptance rate?
University of New Mexico accepts 95% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 12,320 of 12,907 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 890–1170 on the SAT or 19–26 on the ACT.
How much does University of New Mexico cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,259 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,489 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,938 and families earning $110k+ pay $19,053.
How much do UNM graduates earn?
Former University of New Mexico students earn a median $44,792 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the UNM graduation rate?
55% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year.
How long does a UNM degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of New Mexico costs about $71,100 after grants ($16,196 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $44,792 ten years after starting, $14,069 more than high school graduates in New Mexico ($30,723), so the cost is repaid in 5.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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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: “University of New Mexico: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-new-mexico-main-campus (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).