New Mexico State University-Main Campus (NMSU) vs New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU)

New Mexico State University-Main Campus and New Mexico Highlands University, both esteemed institutions in New Mexico, offer distinct educational experiences. NMSU-Main boasts a higher acceptance rate, allowing more students to pursue their academic aspirations. Its diverse student body reflects a vibrant campus culture, while NMHU's smaller size fosters a close-knit community. NMSU-Main excels in STEM fields, with popular majors in engineering, biology, and nursing, while NMHU shines in liberal arts, education, and social sciences. Both universities offer a range of opportunities for personal and professional growth, but their unique strengths may appeal to different individuals. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	New Mexico Highlands University	New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Overview
Location	Las Vegas, New Mexico	Las Cruces, New Mexico
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	52.0%	72.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	57.3%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $40
SAT range	N/A	920 - 1140
ACT range	N/A	17 - 23
Students submitting SAT score		36.0%
Students submitting ACT score		33.0%
Total number of applicants		12,535
Total number of admissions given out		7,177
Admitted students who chose to enroll		2,013
Yield rate		28.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	Not required	N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Not required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $22,340 Out of state: $26,996	In state: $22,010 Out of state: $38,476
Average net price	$12,795	$11,397
Tuition	In state: $4,758 Out of state: $9,414	In state: $6,041 Out of state: $22,507
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,588 Meal plan: $4,320	Room/dormitory: $6,507 Meal plan: $4,900
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $7,842	98.0% Average amount $11,518
Students receiving federal student loan	19.0% Average amount $4,096	30.0% Average amount $3,491
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $9,394	2.0% Average amount $10,115

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,544 Men 35.2% Women 64.8%	11,231 Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
Graduate students	1,101 Men 25.2% Women 74.8%	2,673 Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	34.9%	29.0%
International students	3.6%	5.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	526	3,384
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	New Mexico Texas California Colorado Florida	New Mexico Texas Arizona California Colorado

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Liberal Arts	Business Engineering Health Professions Education Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	26.5%	50.4%
Dropout rate	25.2%	45.8%
Transferred out	44.6%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,248 Year 2: $81,031 Year 3: $79,950 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $51,098 Year 2: $51,169 Year 3: $59,966 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,232 Year 2: $54,192 Year 3: $57,570 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,271 Year 2: $43,128 Year 3: $50,981 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,421 Year 2: $43,426 Year 3: $47,912 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,607 Year 2: $33,637 Year 3: $42,964 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,302 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $42,815 Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,518 Year 2: $35,772 Year 3: $41,119 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $28,041 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $38,081 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,591 Year 2: $31,314 Year 3: $36,473	Industrial Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $79,572 Year 2: $82,440 Year 3: $90,002 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,582 Year 2: $61,814 Year 3: $80,221 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $71,575 Year 3: $79,616 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,000 Year 2: $73,635 Year 3: $74,617 Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,548 Year 2: $59,253 Year 3: $71,978 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,906 Year 2: $62,343 Year 3: $70,303 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,738 Year 2: $58,673 Year 3: $69,035 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,124 Year 2: $55,512 Year 3: $66,230 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $59,682 Year 2: $63,997 Year 3: $64,455 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,638 Year 2: $57,860 Year 3: $63,843

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