Best Value Degrees in New Mexico (2026)

Top 100 of 116 programs in New Mexico · Updated 2026

The best college programs in New Mexico, ranked by overall value. We scored 116 programs across New Mexico schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $42,864/yr in graduate earnings.

How a Regional School Landed the #1 Spot

New Mexico Highlands University’s #1 rank for Nursing isn't an accident; it’s a masterclass in value. With the lowest four-year tuition in the top 20 ($29,040) and one of the highest graduate salaries ($88,137/yr), its 36.0x ROI is a direct result of this formula. NMHU excels by providing a direct, affordable pipeline into New Mexico's high-demand healthcare industry, proving that a focused, practical program can deliver a better financial outcome than a degree from a larger, more expensive flagship.

Why Public Universities Own New Mexico's Value Rankings

The top 20 is exclusively composed of public, in-state universities, and the reason is simple math. With four-year tuition costs hovering around a remarkably low $30,000, these schools provide an enormous financial head start. For a private or out-of-state institution to crack this list, its graduates would need to secure salaries dramatically higher than the $89k peak seen here to offset their much larger tuition bills. In this regional job market, that makes the public school value proposition nearly unbeatable.

Decoding AI Risk: Nursing vs. Computer Science

Don't just look at the percentage. A Nursing degree's 43% AI risk means automation will handle charting and administrative tasks, freeing you for the irreplaceable human skills of patient care and critical thinking. In contrast, Computer Science's 59% risk means AI is automating core coding tasks. This elevates the entry-level bar; your job will be less about writing routine code and more about architecting complex systems and validating the AI's output. One path uses AI as a tool, the other requires you to manage AI as a teammate.

The Flagship Trap: Look Beyond the Big Names

While UNM and NMSU dominate the list with engineering and CS programs, the #1 and #3 spots go to smaller regional schools for Nursing. This reveals a crucial pattern: for high-demand, practical careers, a focused regional university can offer a superior return on investment. Programs at schools like NMHU and ENMU often have deep ties to local employers and lower tuition, creating a powerful combination of low debt and a direct path to a high-paying job that can even outperform the state's flagship institutions.

Programs in NM

116

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$42,864/yr

Avg DW Score

53/100

#1 Program

Nursing

New Mexico Highlands University

Top Institutions

Leading the field for Best Degrees in New Mexico

The top four programs by DegreeOutlook Score. Full ranking of 100 programs below.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 91

Nursing

New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM · Public

University of New Mexico-Main Campus · NM · #2

$89,498/yr · 34.8x ROI

Nursing

Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · NM · #3

$83,465/yr · 36.5x ROI

Nursing

University of New Mexico-Main Campus · NM · #4

$82,216/yr · 26.5x ROI

The Ranking Matrix

Top Programs in New Mexico

Top 100 programs by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full analysis.

Sort by

#	Program	DW Score	Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
1	Nursing New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM	91 87–91	$88,137/yr	High	36.0x
2	Information Sciences University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	91 84–92	$89,498/yr	Very High	34.8x
3	Nursing Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	90 87–90	$83,465/yr	High	36.5x
4	Nursing University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	89 86–89	$82,216/yr	High	26.5x
5	Nursing Western New Mexico University · Silver City, NM	88 85–87	$73,666/yr	High	26.7x
6	Nursing New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	86 83–86	$73,229/yr	High	22.7x
7	Information Sciences New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	85 79–86	$63,674/yr	Very High	26.0x
8	Electrical Engineering New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	76 72–78	$82,790/yr	Very High	28.9x
9	Accounting Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	74 71–76	$52,579/yr	Very High	19.1x
10	Mechanical Engineering University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	74 71–75	$61,611/yr	Very High	30.5x
11	Allied Health Professions University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	74 74–74	$57,714/yr	Moderate	24.5x
12	Aerospace Engineering New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	74 73–75	$68,002/yr	High	28.3x
13	Chemical Engineering New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	74 71–75	$75,766/yr	High	26.4x
14	Mechanical Engineering New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	74 71–75	$62,813/yr	Very High	29.1x
15	Mechanical Engineering New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology · Socorro, NM	72 70–74	$57,424/yr	Very High	26.8x
16	Business Administration University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	72 66–72	$45,215/yr	High	19.3x
17	Civil Engineering New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	72 71–74	$60,212/yr	High	26.0x
18	Chemical Engineering University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	71 70–73	$62,907/yr	High	26.7x
19	Finance New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	71 69–72	$48,868/yr	Very High	15.9x
20	Civil Engineering University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	70 70–72	$54,248/yr	High	25.0x
21	Economics University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	67 65–68	$43,656/yr	Very High	18.2x
22	Business Administration New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM	66 61–67	$39,271/yr	High	19.4x
23	Subject-Area Teaching New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	66 68–67	$45,016/yr	High	14.5x
24	Nursing Brookline College-Albuquerque · Albuquerque, NM	66 63–66	$78,980/yr	High	—
25	Engineering Technology New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	65 63–66	$60,250/yr	High	25.0x
26	Accounting New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	65 69–66	$38,057/yr	Very High	19.3x
27	Dental Services University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	64 63–64	$55,003/yr	Moderate	18.7x
28	Teacher Education New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM	62 70–63	$41,352/yr	High	16.2x
29	Electrical Engineering New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology · Socorro, NM	62 58–63	$73,300/yr	Very High	19.2x
30	Business Administration New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	62 58–63	$35,599/yr	High	17.4x
31	Air Transportation Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	61 59–62	$88,085/yr	Moderate	31.1x
32	Teacher Education Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	60 68–61	$41,896/yr	High	15.4x
33	Business Administration Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	60 55–61	$40,085/yr	High	15.8x
34	Teacher Education University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	59 67–60	$41,304/yr	High	13.6x
35	Teacher Education New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	59 66–60	$41,888/yr	High	13.2x
36	Engineering Science University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	58 56–59	$64,405/yr	High	18.8x
37	Business New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	58 54–59	$39,442/yr	High	13.4x
38	Mental Health Services Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	57 60–57	$40,645/yr	Moderate	16.6x
39	Chemical Engineering New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology · Socorro, NM	56 55–57	$57,215/yr	High	14.8x
40	Criminal Justice University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	56 46–57	$38,370/yr	Moderate	13.9x
41	Clinical Laboratory Science University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	56 55–56	$57,178/yr	Moderate	16.6x
42	Marketing New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	56 52–56	$33,191/yr	Very High	18.8x
43	Criminal Justice Western New Mexico University · Silver City, NM	55 46–56	$32,386/yr	Moderate	15.6x
44	Subject-Area Teaching University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	53 66–54	$29,997/yr	High	17.0x
45	Political Science University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	53 50–53	$33,947/yr	Very High	16.7x
46	Subject-Area Teaching Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	52 66–53	$30,513/yr	High	18.7x
47	Mathematics University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	52 49–53	$44,639/yr	Very High	12.8x
48	Agricultural Business New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	52 45–53	$41,268/yr	High	12.0x
49	Social Work Western New Mexico University · Silver City, NM	52 57–52	$42,250/yr	Moderate	12.4x
50	Criminal Justice Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	51 42–52	$31,599/yr	Moderate	15.1x
51	Teacher Education University of the Southwest · Hobbs, NM	50 59–51	$40,282/yr	High	5.0x
52	Criminal Justice New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	49 40–49	$29,553/yr	Moderate	13.0x
53	Mental Health Services New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM	48 57–49	$34,750/yr	Moderate	15.4x
54	Special Education and Teaching University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	47 53–48	$41,947/yr	High	13.9x
55	Liberal Arts & Humanities Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	46 49–46	$43,186/yr	Low	17.2x
56	Criminal Justice New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM	46 41–46	$21,630/yr	Moderate	15.0x
57	Criminal Justice Brookline College-Albuquerque · Albuquerque, NM	45 35–46	$33,962/yr	Moderate	—
58	Biology University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	44 44–45	$30,065/yr	High	16.6x
59	History University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	44 43–44	$29,793/yr	High	13.9x
60	Microbiology & Immunology New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	44 44–45	$36,198/yr	High	10.1x
61	Political Science New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	44 41–44	$35,393/yr	Very High	11.7x
62	Romance Languages University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	43 35–43	$32,236/yr	Very High	15.7x
63	Sociology University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	43 41–43	$35,796/yr	High	12.8x
64	Petroleum Engineering New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology · Socorro, NM	42 44–43	$42,325/yr	High	10.7x
65	Special Education and Teaching New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	42 57–44	$31,963/yr	High	19.2x
66	Hospitality Management New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	42 36–43	$29,942/yr	High	11.3x
67	Communication and Media Studies Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	41 35–42	$33,674/yr	High	15.8x
68	Psychology University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	40 39–41	$31,466/yr	High	12.9x
69	Health & Physical Education New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	40 40–41	$23,701/yr	Moderate	14.9x
70	Fine Arts Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development · Santa Fe, NM	39 34–40	$29,835/yr	Moderate	11.9x
71	Ethnic & Cultural Studies University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	39 29–40	$38,260/yr	Very High	13.8x
72	Journalism University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	39 35–39	$32,423/yr	Very High	14.9x
73	Biochemistry University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	39 41–40	$23,648/yr	High	19.1x
74	Public Health New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	39 41–40	$27,729/yr	High	13.3x
75	Nutrition & Food Science University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	38 39–39	$27,978/yr	High	7.6x
76	Rhetoric & Writing University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	38 32–38	$33,999/yr	Very High	13.8x
77	Social Work New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	38 53–40	$33,510/yr	Moderate	12.5x
78	American Sign Language University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	37 33–37	$33,300/yr	High	9.3x
79	Biology New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	37 38–38	$26,533/yr	High	14.3x
80	Psychology Western New Mexico University · Silver City, NM	37 36–38	$31,591/yr	High	9.0x
81	Chemistry University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	36 40–37	$30,122/yr	High	8.3x
82	Geography and Cartography University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	36 38–37	$32,096/yr	High	8.9x
83	Human Development & Family Studies New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	36 41–36	$25,965/yr	High	10.3x
84	Psychology New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	36 36–37	$26,250/yr	High	12.9x
85	Sociology New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	36 35–37	$31,376/yr	High	11.7x
86	Rehabilitation Therapies Western New Mexico University · Silver City, NM	36 45–37	$34,345/yr	Moderate	9.9x
87	Sociology Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	35 34–35	$29,167/yr	High	9.6x
88	Family & Consumer Sciences University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	35 36–35	$35,369/yr	High	11.1x
89	Anthropology University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	35 30–35	$31,729/yr	High	9.9x
90	Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	35 33–36	$33,603/yr	High	14.0x
91	Linguistics New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	35 30–36	$27,720/yr	Very High	13.4x
92	Psychology Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	34 32–34	$19,844/yr	High	14.1x
93	Communication Disorders University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	34 36–34	$23,532/yr	High	15.5x
94	Mental Health Services New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	34 43–35	$25,631/yr	Moderate	6.9x
95	Psychology New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM	33 33–34	$27,483/yr	High	8.5x
96	Journalism New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	33 29–33	$32,825/yr	Very High	12.0x
97	Liberal Arts & Humanities University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM	32 40–33	$31,428/yr	Low	13.5x
98	Animal Sciences New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	32 30–33	$28,475/yr	High	11.6x
99	Liberal Arts & Humanities New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM	32 39–33	$31,568/yr	Low	13.1x
100	Communication Disorders Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM	30 34–30	$26,335/yr	High	14.8x

FAQ

Frequently asked

What is the best college program in New Mexico?

By DegreeOutlook Score, Nursing at New Mexico Highlands University ranks #1 in New Mexico with a score of 91/100 and graduate earnings of $88,137/yr.

How many college programs are in New Mexico?

Our database includes 116 programs across New Mexico colleges with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.