Public Associate Good 67/100

New Mexico State University-Grants

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Grants, New Mexico

About New Mexico State University-Grants

Thinking about New Mexico State University-Grants, a college in New Mexico where more students graduate in Liberal Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

New Mexico State University-Grants is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Grants, New Mexico. It enrolls 356 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
33%
Net Price
$68
Median Earnings (10yr)
$39,067
Enrollment
356
Student : Faculty
18:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
67/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 19
Value 100
Affordability 58
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, New Mexico State University-Grants admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $68 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$68
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
24%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
1%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,136
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$4,272
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,750
Books & Supplies
$1,250
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,536
Total Cost of Attendance
$8,514

Application fee: $20 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $248
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $-789
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $846
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $-3,338

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,250
10% percentile
$4,468
25% percentile
$17,095
Median percentile
$23,359
75% percentile
$36,728
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $11,000 ↓ $6,095
No Pell $7,500 ↓ $9,595
Dependent students $9,000 ↓ $8,095
Independent students $12,500 ↓ $4,595
Female students $10,555 ↓ $6,540
Male students $9,597 ↓ $7,498
Pell recipients: 18.3% (3,126 students)No Pell: 12.5% (2,131 students)Dependent students: 15.0% (2,558 students)Independent students: 20.8% (3,552 students)Female students: 17.5% (3,000 students)Male students: 16.0% (2,727 students)Overall Median$17,095
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,043, less than completers ($17,095), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

33% of students who start here finish within six years, and 59% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
33%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
59%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $39,067 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,067
Earning > $25K
63%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$32,000$34,000$36,000$38,000$40,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$34,500

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$47,800

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$36,400

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$42,300

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$48,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $13,300, about 28% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 21.3 pts across 6 years
57.3%1yr65%3yr71.4%5yr78.6%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 79% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 356 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 44% are the first in their family to go to college, and 45% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
356
Part-Time
45%
First-Generation
44%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Other 40.2% 143
Hispanic 38.5% 137
White 17.4% 62
International 1.7% 6
Black 1.1% 4
Asian 0.3% 1
Other: 40.2% (143 students)Hispanic: 38.5% (137 students)White: 17.4% (62 students)International: 1.7% (6 students)Black: 1.1% (4 students)Asian: 0.3% (1 students)Total356

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at New Mexico State University-Grants. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Town: Remote Grants, New Mexico
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
38% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Branch campus

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Education graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

New Mexico State University-Grants offers a varied set of programs: 21 distinct programs across 13 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

1 Program
1 Program
2 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,438
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$63,684
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

14 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 4 29% $74,908
Associate Professors 4 29% $64,081
Assistant Professors 4 29% $57,749
Instructors 2 14% $52,311

Pros & Cons of New Mexico State University-Grants

No college is right for everyone. Here is where New Mexico State University-Grants is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Open admissions
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Class sizes are on the higher side
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for: Based on the data, New Mexico State University-Grants is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about New Mexico State University-Grants

The questions families ask most about New Mexico State University-Grants, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is New Mexico State University-Grants hard to get into?
Not especially. New Mexico State University-Grants admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at New Mexico State University-Grants?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does New Mexico State University-Grants cost?
Budget around $68 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is New Mexico State University-Grants worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $39,067 a year against a net price of $68, about 574.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is New Mexico State University-Grants known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Computer Engineering Tech, Teacher Education (K-12). Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do New Mexico State University-Grants graduates earn?
About $39,067 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is New Mexico State University-Grants accredited?
Yes. New Mexico State University-Grants is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend New Mexico State University-Grants?
356 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Grants?
33% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is New Mexico State University-Grants a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is New Mexico State University-Grants located?
New Mexico State University-Grants is located in Grants, New Mexico.
What programs does New Mexico State University-Grants offer?
21 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Computer Engineering Tech, Teacher Education (K-12). If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at New Mexico State University-Grants?
18 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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