Best College ROI in Nm 2026
12 colleges in Nm analyzed for return on investment. University of New Mexico-Main Campus leads with a ROI Score of 100/100 (STRONG BUY).
Nm has 12 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 9 public institutions and 3 private ones. Across the 12 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $24K and earn $77K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
92% of Nm colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at University of New Mexico-Main Campus (median $95K on Computer and Information Sciences).
All numbers come from the latest College Scorecard release, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients only — graduates who paid cash or used private loans aren't in this dataset, so actual median debt at high-income schools may be lower than shown. The ROI Score weights debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), BLS job outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%).
Top 3 Best ROI Colleges in Nm
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops Nm's ROI rankings on its Computer and Information Sciences program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $10K in median debt.
New Mexico Highlands University
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer and Information Sciences. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer Science. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $19K.
Top 12 Colleges by ROI in Nm
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $10K | $95K | A (100) |
| 2 | New Mexico Highlands University(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $18K | $95K | A (97) |
| 3 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology(public) | Computer Science | $19K | $95K | A (97) |
| 4 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $18K | $95K | A (97) |
| 5 | Navajo Technical University(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 6 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $22K | $95K | A (95) |
| 7 | Northern New Mexico College(public) | Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologies | $21K | $65K | A (84) |
| 8 | Western New Mexico University(public) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $24K | $65K | B (79) |
| 9 | University of the Southwest(private) | International Business | $27K | $65K | B (78) |
| 10 | Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development(public) | Museology/Museum Studies | $24K | $52K | B (72) |
| 11 | Brookline College-Albuquerque(private) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $52K | $62K | B (69) |
| 12 | St. John's College(private) | Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $26K | $45K | C (64) |
College debt and earnings data for Nm is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
University of New Mexico-Main Campus has the best ROI in Nm with a score of 100/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer and Information Sciences, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $10K in median debt.
Across 12 Nm colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $24K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $77K.
University of New Mexico-Main Campus graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer and Information Sciences). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
Nm has 12 colleges in our database (9 public, 3 private). Of the 12 with reportable ROI, 92% earn an A or B grade.
The ROI Score (0-100) weighs debt-to-income ratio (35%), earnings premium over a high school graduate (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%). Scores are graded A-F with verdicts from "Strong Buy" to "Avoid." Data comes from the College Scorecard and BLS occupational projections.
ROI Score: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), debt vs. national average (10%).