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University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

Public Associate Fair 47/100

University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

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

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Los Alamos, New Mexico

About University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

Thinking about University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus, 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.

University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Los Alamos, New Mexico. It enrolls 218 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.

Official website: losalamos.unm.edu

Acceptance: Open
Graduation: 38.8%
Net Price: $13,470
Median Earnings (10yr): $44,792
Enrollment: 218
Student : Faculty: 11:1

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.

Fair

47/100

UCD Score · 2-Year

Outcomes 12

Value 45

Affordability 23

Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus 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 $13,470 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. 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

$13,470

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

15%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

14%

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): $2,214
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state): $5,686
Room & Board (off-campus): $12,000
Books & Supplies: $1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus): $5,600
Total Cost of Attendance: $17,783

Application fee: $10 (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

$10,916
$30,001 – $48,000

$13,213
$48,001 – $75,000

$15,910
Over $110,000

$17,783

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.

$2,750

10% percentile

$5,500

25% percentile

$18,450

Median percentile

$25,000

75% percentile

$36,820

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 $14,807 ↓ $3,643

No Pell $11,947 ↓ $6,503

Dependent students $12,000 ↓ $6,450

Independent students $18,000 ↓ $450

Female students $13,750 ↓ $4,700

Male students $13,500 ↓ $4,950

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,322, less than completers ($18,450), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

39% of students who start here finish within six years, and 56% 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

39%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

56%

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 $44,792 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)

$44,792

Earning > $25K

68%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

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

$39,400

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

Male graduates

$50,800

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

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$41,700

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

Family income (middle third)

$45,300

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

Family income (highest third)

$48,200

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $11,400, about 22% 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 ↑ 18.3 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Strong. 80% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 218 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 41% are the first in their family to go to college, and 55% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled

218

Part-Time

55%

First-Generation

41%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents

Hispanic 50.5% 110

White 40.8% 89

Other 7.3% 16

Asian 0.5% 1

International 0.5% 1

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting

Town: Distant Los Alamos, New Mexico

Housing

Commuter campus No on-campus housing

Adult Learners

36% 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 Business graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus offers a varied set of programs: 10 distinct programs across 7 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

Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts $53K ($36K–$73K)

2 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)

1 Program

Health

Health/Medical Preparatory $62K ($43K–$83K)

1 Program

Engineering

General Engineering $89K ($73K–$109K)

2 Programs

Computer Science

IT Administration $85K ($59K–$118K)
Information Systems $92K ($64K–$128K)

2 Programs

Engineering Tech

Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians $66K ($46K–$91K)
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians $84K ($66K–$103K)

1 Program

Physical Sciences

Physical Sciences $69K ($48K–$92K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty

11:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$6,121

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Avg Faculty Salary

$56,512

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

1 instructional faculty across 1 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
Lecturers	1	100%	$56,512

Pros & Cons of University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus 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

Below-average net price
Open admissions
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options

CONS

Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel

Best for: Based on the data, University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

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

Is University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus hard to get into?

Not especially. University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus?

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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus cost?

Budget around $13,470 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus worth it?

On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $44,792 a year against a net price of $13,470, about 3.3 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus known for?

Mostly Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Health/Medical Preparatory. 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus graduates earn?

About $44,792 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus accredited?

Yes. University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How many students attend University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus?

218 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus?

39% 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus a public or private college?

It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.

Where is University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus located?

University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus is located in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

What programs does University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus offer?

10 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Health/Medical Preparatory. 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 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus?

11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.