New Mexico State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Public · Las Cruces, NM · 12,113 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
New Mexico State admitted 75.7% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 85.2% in 2013. New Mexico residents pay $8,226 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $25,350.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 85.2% | 5,365 | 4,571 |
| 2014 | 69.6% | 7,101 | 4,942 |
| 2015 | 65.8% | 7,427 | 4,884 |
| 2016 | 59.6% | 7,618 | 4,541 |
| 2017 | 63.8% | 8,192 | 5,230 |
| 2018 | 65.7% | 9,635 | 6,326 |
| 2019 | 54.6% | 11,903 | 6,497 |
| 2020 | 62.7% | 13,715 | 8,595 |
| 2021 | 57.3% | 12,535 | 7,177 |
| 2022 | 78.0% | 15,860 | 12,378 |
| 2023 | 75.7% | 15,201 | 11,511 |
Applications went from 5,365 in fall 2013 to 15,201 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $4,997 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,271 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $5,768 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $8,855 |
| Over $110,000 | $11,619 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $8,226 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $25,350 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $21,766 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $6,313 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 71% submitted the SAT, 22% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama AL | 75.8% | $12,484 in-state |
| Buffalo State NY | 75.9% | $8,533 in-state |
| JMU VA | 76.2% | $14,620 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
New Mexico State's fall 2023 admit rate was 75.7% on 15,201 applications.1 In 2013 the rate was 85.2%, which makes the long-run change a fall of 9.5 percentage points, with a low of 54.6% in 2019.1 The yearly rate dipped in 6 of the 10 changes.1 Applications grew 183% across the span and admitted students grew 152%.1 In the latest year, applications fell 4% and admitted students fell 7%.1
Test scores are optional, and the middle 50% of SAT math results ran from 435 to 550 in 2023, with 71% of entrants submitting SAT scores.1
New Mexico residents pay $8,226 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and nonresidents pay $25,350.2 Among the 7 public bachelor's colleges in New Mexico, the median in-state price is $7,891, below the figure here.2 Net price in 2024-25 averaged $4,997 for the $0 to $30,000 band, $5,768 for the $48,001 to $75,000 band, and $11,619 for families over $110,000.2
Of 2019 entrants, 54% graduated within 6 years, compared with a 44% median across 10 New Mexico bachelor's colleges.2 Median earnings were $43,922 at 10 years after entry, a little under the $44,868 median across 10 colleges in the state.2 Median federal debt among finishing borrowers was $14,980.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 15,201 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 11,511 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,391 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 12,113 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 450 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 560 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 435 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 550 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 17 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 24 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 71% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 22% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $8,226 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $25,350 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $21,766 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $6,313 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $4,997 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,271 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $5,768 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $8,855 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $11,619 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 54% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 73% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 48% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $43,922 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $14,980 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, New Mexico (N = 7) | $7,891 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, New Mexico (N = 10) | 44% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, New Mexico (N = 10) | $44,868 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with New Mexico State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page