University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus

Los Alamos, NM 218 Undergrads 25.8% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$17,783

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$13,470

After Aid

Median Earnings

$59,818

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,470

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$59,818

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate25.8%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients10.5%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time45.4%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS61.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

100.0%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

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

+$627k

+$111k

+$143k

Median Cost$13k/yr

+$602k

+$87k

+$118k

Full Cost$18k/yr

+$594k

+$79k

+$110k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$13k/yr

477%

Full Cost$18k/yr

337%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return744%

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 Return135%

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

Certificates

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

CertCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,584

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

CertCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$39,385

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

-$83k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,046

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, General

AssocCIP: 1401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

AssocCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,650

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fire Protection

AssocCIP: 4302

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,589

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

AssocCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,711

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$10,169

Earnings (4yr)

$34,342

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$134k

Physical Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 4001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$50,266

Natl Median: $49,076

Lifetime Value Added

+$26k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

AssocCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$28,157

Natl Median: $37,656

Lifetime Value Added

-$203k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.