New Mexico State University-Dona Ana
Las Cruces, New Mexico · Also known as NMSU-Dona Ana · Website
$39,067
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$39,067
median earnings, 10 years after starting
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana is a public 2-year college in Las Cruces, New Mexico with 5,177 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $6,048 a year (tuition and fees $2,322 in-state, $6,360 out-of-state). 19% of students finish within 3 years. Former students earn a median $39,067 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $17,095 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$6,048
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$2,322
Out-of-state $6,360
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
19%
Within 3 years, US 58%
Median debt
$17,095
About $181 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$39,067
Rank 2,847 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $6,048
- Tuition in-state
- $2,322
- Tuition out-of-state
- $6,360
- Cost of attendance
- $14,397
- Students with a need-based grant
- 35%
- Students with federal loans
- 9.5%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $5,475
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $5,904
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $7,663
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $10,624
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $13,381
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $1,632 in 2015-16 to $2,322 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 5,177
- Part-time students
- 44%
- Women
- 62%
- Students per teacher
- 21
- Completion rate
- 19%
- Retention rate
- 63%
- Highest degree
- Associate's degree
- Programs
- 92
- Other
- Hispanic-serving, Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,847 of 5,094 US colleges and 12 of 35 in New Mexico (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | NM median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $6,048 | $8,706 | $7,702 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $2,322 | $2,289 | $4,656 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 89% | 79% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 19% | 32% | 38% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 63% | 60% | 64% | 75% |
| Median debt | $17,095 | $11,356 | $10,417 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $32,960 | $32,960 | $33,563 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $39,067 | $38,550 | $38,555 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 2-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 45% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 55% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
92 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 450 | $9,000 | $27,868 | $39,985 | $44,125 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 86 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 64 | $8,550 | $27,638 | $35,798 | $46,706 |
| Data ProcessingOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 52 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 50 | $9,000 | $56,196 | $68,291 | $65,389 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 47 | $7,542 | $30,628 | $42,773 | $49,927 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's | Associate's | 41 | Withheld | Withheld | $37,514 | $37,656 |
| Data ProcessingOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 36 | Withheld | $38,559 | $53,247 | $51,859 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 33 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 32 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $35,447 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 32 | $13,590 | $78,510 | $84,961 | $80,813 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementCertificate | Certificate | 30 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 28 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Education, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 23 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Homeland SecurityAssociate's | Associate's | 21 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 21 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Certificate | Certificate | 18 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 15 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $58,424 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesAssociate's | Associate's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $42,269 |
| Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | $27,920 | $39,299 | $56,451 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $55,148 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $61,982 |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | $27,876 | Withheld | $37,073 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Associate's | Associate's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $58,236 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: New Mexico on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in New Mexico
- Homes: Homes for sale in New Mexico
Questions and answers
How much does New Mexico State University-Dona Ana cost?
$6,048 a year is the average net price at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $2,322 for in-state students and $6,360 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $14,397. Families earning under $30,000 pay $5,475 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana?
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do New Mexico State University-Dona Ana graduates earn?
$39,067 a year is the median pay of former New Mexico State University-Dona Ana students who work, 10 years after they started ($32,960 after 6 years). That ranks 2,847 of 5,094 US colleges and 12 of 35 in New Mexico. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's) at $78,510.
How much student debt do New Mexico State University-Dona Ana graduates have?
$17,095 is the median federal student loan debt of New Mexico State University-Dona Ana graduates, about $181 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 9.5% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana?
19% of first-time, full-time students at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana finish within 3 years. 63% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 2-year colleges is 38%.
What are the most popular majors at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana?
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (450 associate's graduates), Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (86 certificate graduates), Criminal Justice and Corrections (64 associate's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 92 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.