# University of the Southwest (USW)

Private nonprofit college in Hobbs, NM. IPEDS ID 188182.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-the-southwest · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/university-of-the-southwest.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: not reported (latest, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $16,927 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 17%; beats 20% of NM colleges and 4% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $45,389; beats 80% of NM colleges and 27% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $14,000

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $15,384 |
| 30-48k | $14,090 |
| 48-75k | $15,943 |
| 75-110k | $20,077 |
| 110k+ | $21,985 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.12 years on average (23% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $45,389 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $28,210
- Tuition and fees: $16,670
- Housing and meals: $8,000; books: not reported

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, latest)

## Majors (23 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $40,282 | $47,402 | $24,312 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | not reported | $38,080 | $28,011 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Communications | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Special Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pastoral Counseling / Ministry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Clinical / Counseling) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Criminal Justice | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Business Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Accounting | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Finance | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Hospitality Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International Business | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Marketing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher: median wage not reported (metro), $74,550 (NM), $63,970 (U.S.)
- Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist: median wage not reported (metro), $86,630 (NM), $82,220 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).