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University of New Mexico-Main Campus

#4 Best Business Colleges in New Mexico
Public Albuquerque, NM · Urban · Southwest · 100% data
B- Diversity C+ Earnings C+ Value
Graduation Rate
54% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$44,792 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$15,489 C+
Close to the national average
Acceptance Rate
95% D
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +10% vs avg
Graduation -6% vs avg
Net Price +-10% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 18.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.2 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Business Colleges in New Mexico.

18.2× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $18.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,067,400.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Every $1 invested returns $18.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why University of New Mexico Matters

University of New Mexico-Main Campus is a public research university in Albuquerque, NM and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise and an above-average alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
17,244
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Psychology, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose University of New Mexico

Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 48% overall
C+
Earnings
$44,792 median
C+
Value
2.9× net price
C+
Affordability
$15,489/yr net
C-
Graduation
54% graduate
D
Selectivity
95% admit rate
B-
Diversity
0.66 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an acceptance rate of 95%, the University of New Mexico-Main Campus is a welcoming choice for students seeking a supportive environment. It's particularly a good fit for those interested in fields like Health Professions, Business and Marketing, Psychology, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, and Education. This variety allows students to explore different paths while still being part of a larger community of over 17,000 peers.

Looking at what happens after graduation, students can expect to earn around $44,792 within ten years of completing their degree. That’s a solid starting point for many, especially when we consider that a significant portion of students—39%—rely on Pell Grants, highlighting the school’s commitment to accessibility. While the graduation rate sits at 54%, those who do complete their studies often find themselves in a better financial position.

When it comes to the practical side of things, the net price after aid is about $15,489, which can make college feel more attainable. The median debt for graduates is $18,450, a manageable figure that allows many to start their careers without overwhelming financial burdens. Students who thrive here tend to be those who are self-motivated and ready to engage in a diverse academic landscape, ready to take advantage of the resources available to them.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of New Mexico-Main Campus is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of New Mexico-Main Campus? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Albuquerque, New Mexico, University of New Mexico-Main Campus admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,038. The graduation rate is roughly 54%.

Acceptance Rate
95%
Retention Rate
76%
SAT Average
1038
ACT Midpoint
23
SAT Range
890–1170
ACT Range
19–26
Full-Time Faculty
71%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,446
Student–Faculty Ratio
17:1
Diversity Index
0.66
First-Gen Students
41%
Applicants
12,639
Admitted
12,142

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of New Mexico-Main Campus? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of New Mexico-Main Campus is $33,060, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $15,489. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,938 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,450 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$10,140
Out-of-State
$33,060
Avg Net Price
$15,489
Median Debt
$18,450
Pell Grant Rate
39%
Federal Loan Rate
44%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$11,938
Family Income $30K–$48K
$13,045
Family Income $48K–$75K
$16,196
Family Income $110K+
$19,053

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of New Mexico-Main Campus — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is University of New Mexico-Main Campus Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of New Mexico-Main Campus report median earnings of $44,792, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$37,150
8 Years
$41,307
10 Years
$44,792
Debt-to-Earnings
0.41x
Earning > $25K
55%

Earnings Trajectory

$37,150 6yr $41,307 8yr $44,792 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (1,041)
34%
100% (1,041)
34%
100% (1,041)
34%
100% (1,041)
34%

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation54%Earnings 10yr$45KNet Price$15KRetention76%Median Debt$18KPell Grant Rate39%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$12K$0-30K$13K$30-48K$16K$48-75K$19K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is University of New Mexico-Main Campus Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, University of New Mexico-Main Campus delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $15,489/year ($61,956 total). Graduates earn $44,792 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,129,356 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,067,400 (18.2× your investment). The median debt is $18,450, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 54% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$61,956
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,129,356
Net Return
$1,067,400
ROI Multiple
18.2×
Cost Per Year
$15,489
Median Debt
$18,450
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
54%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of New Mexico-Main Campus? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at University of New Mexico-Main Campus. Its economic connectedness score is 1.13, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.13
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.6%
Support Ratio
0.98
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-28,148,938

Top Programs

The fields University of New Mexico-Main Campus awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of New Mexico-Main Campus? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Albuquerque, New Mexico, University of New Mexico-Main Campus admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,038. The graduation rate is roughly 54%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of New Mexico-Main Campus? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of New Mexico-Main Campus is $33,060, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $15,489. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,938 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,450 in federal student loans.

Is University of New Mexico-Main Campus Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of New Mexico-Main Campus report median earnings of $44,792, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is University of New Mexico-Main Campus? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at University of New Mexico-Main Campus. Its economic connectedness score is 1.13, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to University of New Mexico-Main Campus.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys