UNM vs. NMSU

Should I go to University of New Mexico Main Campus or New Mexico State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNM or NMSU 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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University of New Mexico Main Campus vs. New Mexico State University Main Campus comparison
University of New Mexico Main Campus New Mexico State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of New Mexico Main Campus New Mexico State University Main Campus
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Overview

UNM NMSU
Location Albuquerque, NM Las Cruces, NM
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 21,953 14,268
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #658 #811
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unm.edu nmsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNM NMSU
Tuition (In State) $6,803 $6,283
Tuition (Out of State) $25,138 $23,407
Room & Board $10,916 $11,252
Avg Net Price $10,633 $10,407
Avg Grant Aid $9,280 $13,168
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 95%

Admission

UNM NMSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,639 15,860
Admitted 12,142 12,378
Acceptance Rate 96.1% 78%
Enrolled % 28.9% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 17/23
SAT Range 1030/1250 900/1140
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

UNM NMSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

UNM NMSU
Graduation Rate 44% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $39,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $17,118
Median Loan Payment $201 $176

Diversity

UNM NMSU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 30%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 47% 55%
% Native American 6% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

UNM NMSU
% In-State 80% 72%
% Out-of-State 18% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of New Mexico Main Campus is larger than than NMSU based on total student enrollment (21,953 students vs. 14,268 students)

UNM vs. NMSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNM or NMSU?

  • University of New Mexico Main Campus is 8.3% more expensive to attend than NMSU for in-state tuition ($6,803.00 vs. $6,283.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.4% higher at UNM than New Mexico State University Main Campus ($25,138.00 vs. $23,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than UNM ($10,407 vs. $10,633)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of New Mexico Main Campus are 3.1% lower than costs at New Mexico State University Main Campus ($10,916 vs. $11,252)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of New Mexico Main Campus than New Mexico State University Main Campus (97% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New Mexico State University Main Campus students is 41.9% larger than aid received University of New Mexico Main Campus ($13,168 vs. $9,280)

UNM vs. NMSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of New Mexico Main Campus (1040) is 57 points higher than at NMSU (983)
  • Incoming UNM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at NMSU (21)
  • Accepted freshman NMSU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at UNM (3.42)
  • UNM has a higher acceptance rate (96.1%) than NMSU (78%)

UNM vs. NMSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNM or NMSU? 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 NMSU and UNM.

  • The graduation rate at NMSU is higher than University of New Mexico Main Campus (46% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from University of New Mexico Main Campus earn on average $3,300 more per year than NMSU graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $39,400)
  • New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,382 lower median federal student loan debt than UNM graduates. ($17,118 vs. $19,500)
  • NMSU graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than UNM graduates. ($176 vs. $201)
  • More UNM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NMSU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

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