College Scorecard
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,210. College Scorecard.
Higher than 20% of New Mexico colleges we cover and 4% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 80% of New Mexico colleges we cover and 27% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
USW acceptance rate & admissions
Test scores: College Scorecard. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
USW tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What USW costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of the Southwest took 4.1 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 | $15,384 | $63,382 | 4.3 years |
| $30–48k | $14,090 | $58,051 | 4.0 years |
| $48–75k | $15,943 | $65,685 | 4.5 years |
| $75–110k | $20,077 | $82,717 | 5.6 years |
| $110k+ | $21,985 | $90,578 | 6.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (23% 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 ($45,389) minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,666 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.
USW majors, earnings & careers
University of the Southwest offers 23 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Education · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Science & Math · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
Highest-earning majors at USW
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $47,402 | $24,312 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $38,080 | $28,011 |
Quick list of all 23 majors
- Accounting—
- Biology—
- Business Administration—
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Communications—
- Criminal Justice—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,402
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance—
- Health Administration—
- History—
- Hospitality Management—
- International Business—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$38,080
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Marketing—
- Pastoral Counseling / Ministry—
- Psychology—
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Special Education—
— 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 →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
Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Hobbs
2 bedrooms $1,327.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 14 inches of rain a year, 2 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: wildfire (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Lea County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lea County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare USW with similar schools
Similar private 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 the Southwest | — | $16,927 | 17% | $45,389 | This school |
| St. John's College | 53% | $26,674 | 55% | $44,985 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of the Southwest would cost you $9,747 less per year than St. John's College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of the Southwest.
- St. John's College gives aided families $17,867 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New Mexico resident | USW | St. John's College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $28,210 | $55,824 | −$27,614 |
| Average grants | −$11,283 | −$29,150 | +$17,867 |
| You pay | $16,927 | $26,674 | −$9,747 |
“+” means USW 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 USW
How much does University of the Southwest cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $28,210 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,927 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $15,384 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,985.
How much do USW graduates earn?
Former University of the Southwest students earn a median $45,389 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the USW graduation rate?
17% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 55% return for their second year.
How long does a USW degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of the Southwest costs about $65,685 after grants ($15,943 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $45,389 ten years after starting, $14,666 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 USW 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: “University of the Southwest: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-the-southwest (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).