by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its Top New Mexico Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 24 colleges and universities across New Mexico to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of New Mexico - Main Campus to be the best school for overall quality in New Mexico in this year’s ranking.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UNM is $44,792 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 24 schools in New Mexico that were part of this year’s ranking, Central New Mexico Community College landed the #2 spot on the list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from CNM make an average of $36,869 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St. John’s College. The school came in at #3 in New Mexico on this year’s overall quality ranking.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,985 during the early years of their career..
Out of the 24 schools in New Mexico that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico Highlands University landed the #4 spot on the list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from New Mexico Highlands University go into careers with an average salary of $45,937 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 24 schools in New Mexico that were part of this year’s ranking, Luna Community College landed the #5 spot on the list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Luna Community College make an average of $32,461 per year during the early years of their career.
Western New Mexico University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Western New Mexico University is $39,095 during the early years of their career.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from New Mexico Tech is $76,489 during the early years of their career.
New Mexico State University - Dona Ana landed the #8 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,067 during the early years of their career..
San Juan College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from SJC is $36,513 during the early years of their career.
New Mexico Military Institute ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from NMMI is $57,410 during the early years of their career.
New Mexico State University - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from NMSU Main Campus is $39,067 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #12, Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from ENMU - Main Campus make an average of $38,550 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus
University of the Southwest landed the #13 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from USW go into careers with an average salary of $45,389 during the early years of their career.
Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking, coming in at #14.
During the early years of their career, graduates from ENMU - Roswell Campus make an average of $38,550 a year.
Santa Fe Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from SFCC make an average of $38,005 per year during the early years of their career.
Eastern New Mexico University - Ruidoso Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from ENMU - Ruidoso Campus make an average of $38,550 a year.
New Mexico State University - Carlsbad ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from NMSU Carlsbad is $39,067 during the early years of their career.
Clovis Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking, coming in at #18.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Clovis Community College make an average of $34,020 per year during the early years of their career.
University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UNM Gallup go into careers with an average salary of $44,792 during the early years of their career.
New Mexico Junior College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from New Mexico Junior College make an average of $34,233 a year.
University of New Mexico - Taos Campus came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UNM Taos make an average of $44,792 per year during the early years of their career.
University of New Mexico - Los Alamos Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from UNM Los Alamos make an average of $44,792 a year.
University of New Mexico - Valencia County Campus came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Mexico ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UNM Valencia make an average of $44,792 per year during the early years of their career.
Full University of New Mexico - Valencia County Campus Report
With a ranking of #24, Brookline College - Albuquerque did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in New Mexico list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $29,576 during the early years of their career..
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 24 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.