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New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM 11,561 Undergrads 55.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,930
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,747
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,067
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$6,747
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$39,067
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate55.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
75.7%
SAT Avg
1,004
SAT Reading
25th: 45052575th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 43550575th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 172075th: 24
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$347k
-$49k
-$137k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$323k
-$73k
-$161k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$272k
-$124k
-$212k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-664%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-282%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-384%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-135%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,700
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,002
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$18,553
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$7,542
Earnings (5yr)
$40,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$8,550
Earnings (5yr)
$36,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$14,442
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
Curriculum and Instruction
AssocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,600
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,170
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,370
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,413
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,977
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,697
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$32,811
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,881
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Public Health
AssocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,590
Earnings (5yr)
$80,465
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,385
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,070
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (5yr)
$66,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$24,262
Earnings (5yr)
$95,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$18,489
Earnings (5yr)
$41,175
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,717
Lifetime Value Added
-$329k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,200
Earnings (5yr)
$49,889
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,762
Earnings (5yr)
$60,042
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$23,072
Earnings (5yr)
$46,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$14,409
Earnings (5yr)
$89,216
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$11,194
Earnings (5yr)
$87,875
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,508
Earnings (5yr)
$87,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
BachCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,530
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$17,009
Earnings (5yr)
$35,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$97,373
Lifetime Value Added
+$300k
Engineering Technology, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,655
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$16,350
Earnings (5yr)
$39,901
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$35,433
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$15,670
Earnings (5yr)
$55,084
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (2yr)
$23,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,003
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$20,973
Earnings (5yr)
$40,174
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$21,749
Earnings (5yr)
$36,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$17,020
Earnings (5yr)
$42,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,243
Earnings (5yr)
$45,935
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (5yr)
$46,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$64,563
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$19,074
Earnings (5yr)
$98,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,483
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$45,418
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,392
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,476
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,034
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,506
Earnings (5yr)
$41,470
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$16,996
Earnings (5yr)
$65,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,753
Earnings (5yr)
$46,143
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$13,862
Earnings (5yr)
$50,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$34,364
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$16,449
Earnings (5yr)
$48,906
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,932
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,297
Earnings (5yr)
$83,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,968
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$28,170
Earnings (5yr)
$54,086
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$28,704
Earnings (5yr)
$60,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,235
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
MastCIP: 1904
Median Debt
$22,208
Earnings (5yr)
$45,238
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Industrial Engineering
MastCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,578
Lifetime Value Added
+$423k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$36,175
Earnings (2yr)
$45,529
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MastCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,153
Earnings (5yr)
$57,497
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$30,480
Earnings (5yr)
$65,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Doctoral Degrees
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$126,504
Lifetime Value Added
+$520k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.