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Las Cruces , NM
New Mexico State University (NMSU) is a public research university located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Established in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in the state. NMSU offers a comprehensive range of academic programs, including more than 90 bachelor's degrees, 60 master's degrees, and 23 doctoral programs across various fields of study. The university is known for its strong research programs, particularly in areas such as agriculture, computer science, engineering, and health sciences.
NMSU has a diverse and vibrant student body, with over 20,000 students enrolled from all 50 states and over 70 countries. The campus is spread across 900 acres and features state-of-the-art facilities, including research laboratories, libraries, and specialized centers. Students at NMSU have access to numerous resources and support services, including academic advising, career services, and student organizations. The university also offers a range of extracurricular activities, including NCAA Division I athletic teams, performing arts groups, and cultural organizations.
As a leading research institution, NMSU is committed to promoting innovation and discovery. The university has extensive partnerships with government agencies, industries, and other academic institutions to facilitate collaborative research projects. NMSU students and faculty members have access to cutting-edge facilities and equipment, enabling them to pursue groundbreaking research across disciplines. The university also places a strong emphasis on community engagement and outreach, aiming to address regional challenges and contribute to the development of New Mexico through research and public service initiatives.
Located in Las Cruces, NM and set in a suburban environment, New Mexico State University is a public university. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 88%. The freshman retention rate at New Mexico State University is 73.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 55%.
Explore this school's profile to find out all the essential things about New Mexico State University.
Quick Facts
12,498
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
15:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
55%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
In order to improve your chances of getting admitted, you need to know as much as possible about the university's criteria for admission. Here are the most important data you should know about admission policy and requirements at New Mexico State University.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 11,646 in 2025. New Mexico State University has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the student. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
67.7% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 18.3% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 0.8% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 10.9% between 1,200 and 1,399, 38% between 1,000 and 1,199, 41.4% of the students between 800 and 999, 8.7% between 600 and 799, and 0.2% of the students between 400 and 599. The percent of freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 2.1, 24.1 between 24-29, 47 in the range between 18-23, 26.3 between 12-17, and 0.5 between 6-11.
The ACT composite average score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 21 and the average GPA was 3.48. Accordingly, you'll probably need an above-average GPA in order to be granted acceptance, as well as an above-average ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 510 for the newly enrolled students, while the average SAT Math score was 487.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. That information can tell you if the majority of new students liked their first year enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for New Mexico State University was 73.4% in 2025, a clear indication of the excellence and value of the educational experience at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. The six-year graduation rate at this school is 55%.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the best fit for you is not an easy task. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by finding out more about the student body.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at New Mexico State University in 2025 was 15,399.
That year, the school had an out-of-state student body percentage of 21. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 12,498, 295 of which were foreign students. The number of transfer students at this school was 662.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 4,960 male and 6,765 female full-time students in 2025, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 124 Asian students and 264 Afro-American students in 2025. 7,595 undergraduates at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 351 as multirace. The school also had 18 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 330 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 44 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to think about before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the expenses at New Mexico State University that the majority of students face.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about New Mexico State University estimated tuition price.
For the students who live in the area, the tuition cost was $6,728, as reported by public county or municipal institutions. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $25,055. For the students coming from abroad, tuition at this school was $25,055, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students totaled $1,828 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $25,055 | $1,828 | $26,883 |
| In-State | $6,728 | $1,828 | $8,556 |
Books and Supplies
The approximate price of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another significant financial element. The estimated price of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $1,290.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
In 2025, the price of room and board at New Mexico State University was $11,956 per academic year. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 amounted to $6,180 for one academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $10,836.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 6,728 |
| Room and Board | $ 11,956 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,290 |
| Total Expense | $ 19,974 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial help: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the info about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid you might get at New Mexico State University.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 1,677 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $19,502 in financial help.
Need-based
If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet certain eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.
6,411 students acquired some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at New Mexico State University is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 6,565. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $59,138,018, and state $63,749,531. The students of New Mexico State University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $16,563,694, and external in the amount of $3,270,134.
$3,572
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 919 students overall (including freshmen) at New Mexico State University in 2025. 275 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $59,138,018 while the state aid is $60,582. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $8,960,059. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $2,039,234 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
15:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at New Mexico State University was 15:1. That means that there were 15 times more students than teachers at this school. The faculty of this school consists of 1,090 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 513 male and 577 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at New Mexico State University.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Check out some details about social life at New Mexico State University.
Its campus spans 900 acres.
Student Organizations
Joining multiple student organizations can provide you a more interesting and dynamic experience.
This school has 248 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. This number includes sororities and fraternities. The percentage of male students who are members of organizations is 6 and female students 4. Those who like music can join the New Mexico State University band or chorus. There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. Interested in media and communication? New Mexico State University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
New Mexico State University has a number of services crucial for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol available 24/7. The late-night transport/escort service is available.
This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of New Mexico State University.
All in all, campus life at New Mexico State University is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at New Mexico State University.
Career Counselling
At New Mexico State University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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New Mexico State University is located in Las Cruces, NM.
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New Mexico State University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for New Mexico State University is 88%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for New Mexico State University is 73.4%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
