NMSU vs. Lamar University

Should I go to New Mexico State University Main Campus or Lamar University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NMSU or Lamar University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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New Mexico State University Main Campus vs. Lamar University comparison
New Mexico State University Main Campus Lamar University College 3 College 4
New Mexico State University Main Campus Lamar University
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Overview

NMSU Lamar University
Location Las Cruces, NM Beaumont, TX
Setting Midsize Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 14,268 16,803
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #811 #992
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nmsu.edu lamar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NMSU Lamar University
Tuition (In State) $6,283 $6,228
Tuition (Out of State) $23,407 $16,020
Room & Board $11,252 $9,884
Avg Net Price $10,407 $11,757
Avg Grant Aid $13,168 $10,397
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 95%

Admission

NMSU Lamar University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,860 6,214
Admitted 12,378 5,203
Acceptance Rate 78% 83.7%
Enrolled % 18.8% 28.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 14/19
SAT Range 900/1140 830/1030
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

NMSU Lamar University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

NMSU Lamar University
Graduation Rate 46% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,400 $45,500
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,118 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $176 $227

Diversity

NMSU Lamar University
% Men 42% 34%
% Women 58% 66%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 30% 48%
% Black 3% 27%
% Hispanic 55% 15%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

NMSU Lamar University
% In-State 72% 97%
% Out-of-State 25% 2%

Campus

NMSU Lamar University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lamar University is larger than than NMSU based on total student enrollment (16,803 students vs. 14,268 students)

NMSU vs. Lamar University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NMSU or Lamar University?

  • New Mexico State University Main Campus is 0.9% more expensive to attend than Lamar University for in-state tuition ($6,283.00 vs. $6,228.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.1% higher at NMSU than Lamar University ($23,407.00 vs. $16,020.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than Lamar University ($10,407 vs. $11,757)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lamar University are 13.8% lower than costs at New Mexico State University Main Campus ($9,884 vs. $11,252)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at New Mexico State University Main Campus as Lamar University (95% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New Mexico State University Main Campus students is 26.7% larger than aid received Lamar University ($13,168 vs. $10,397)

NMSU vs. Lamar University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NMSU or Lamar University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lamar University or NMSU .

  • The average SAT score at New Mexico State University Main Campus (983) is 9 points higher than at Lamar University (974)
  • Incoming NMSU students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Lamar University (21)
  • Accepted freshman NMSU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Lamar University (3.4)
  • Lamar University has a higher acceptance rate (83.7%) than NMSU (78%)

NMSU vs. Lamar University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NMSU or Lamar University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lamar University and NMSU.

  • The graduation rate at NMSU is higher than Lamar University (46% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Lamar University earn on average $6,100 more per year than NMSU graduates after ten years. ($45,500 vs. $39,400)
  • New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $4,882 lower median federal student loan debt than Lamar University graduates. ($17,118 vs. $22,000)
  • NMSU graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Lamar University graduates. ($176 vs. $227)
  • More NMSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lamar University students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 42%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/