New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, New Mexico · Public · 11,946 undergraduates · nmsu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
89%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
870 to 1110
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$27,860Est.Estimate
$46,850 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at New Mexico State University-Main Campus
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
89% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$46,850
a year in 2027-28, from a $46,850 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 990
Send your score
About 18% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 820, and yours is above it.
Source: College Navigator (federal data on fall 2024 freshmen)
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Source: First-Time Freshmen | NMSU Admissions · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
89%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
SAT total 870 to 1110
Reading and Writing 450 to 570
Math 420 to 540
ACT composite 17 to 24
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$27,860
a year, in state
$46,850
a year, out of state (tuition $27,880)
- Tuition (in state)$8,890
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$4,997
- $30,001 to $48,000$4,271
- $48,001 to $75,000$5,768
- $75,001 to $110,000$8,855
- Over $110,000$11,619
Financial aidEstimate
78%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
96%
of freshmen receive grants
$14,420
average grant to freshmen
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
New Mexico programs for residents
New Mexico Competitive Scholarship
State program · Out-of-state students
>= $100/semester scholarship plus in-state tuition and fee rates
- 3.00+ GPA, 1180+ SAT or 26+ ACT, Large university (>150,000 SCH/yr) - GPA 3.0 pathway; U.S. citizen (or institution-approved noncitizen proposal); full-time undergraduate
- 3.50+ GPA, 1070+ SAT or 23+ ACT, Large university (>150,000 SCH/yr) - GPA 3.5 pathway; U.S. citizen (or institution-approved noncitizen proposal); full-time undergraduate
- 3.00+ GPA, 1070+ SAT or 23+ ACT, Small university - GPA 3.0 pathway; U.S. citizen (or institution-approved noncitizen proposal); full-time undergraduate
- 3.50+ GPA, 950+ SAT or 20+ ACT, Small university - GPA 3.5 pathway; U.S. citizen (or institution-approved noncitizen proposal); full-time undergraduate
New Mexico Scholars Program
State program · In-state students
Tuition, required fees and books (public); private nonprofit: highest state-institution tuition+fees+books
- 1140+ SAT or 25+ ACT, Test-score pathway; Combined family income <= $60,000/yr; full-time undergrad; enroll by end of 21st year
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
35 of 39
Earn credit with a score of 3
32 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $890Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1610 OR ARTS 1240 |
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 6 | ARTS 1610 OR ARTS 1240, AND ARTS 2610 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1610 OR ARTS 1240 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 6 | ARTS 1610 OR ARTS 1240, AND ARTS 2610 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AFST 1110 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH 2110G |
| Art History | 4 | 6 | ARTH 2110G AND ARTH 2120G |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOL 2110G/2110L |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 1511G |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 1511G |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 1511G AND MATH 1521G |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHEM 1215G/1215L |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHEM 1215G/1215L AND CHEM 1225G/1225L |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | CHIN 1110 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | CHIN 1110 AND CHIN 1120 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | CHIN 1110 AND 1120 AND 2110 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | ||
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | CS 172 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CS 271 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 4 | CS 111 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1240 OR 1610 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 4 | ENGL 1110G |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 1410G |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | ENVS 1110G |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 1150G |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIST 1150G AND HIST 1160G |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FREN 1110 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FREN 1110 AND 1120 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | FREN 1110 AND 1120 AND 2110 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | GRMN 1110 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | GRMN 1110 AND 1120 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | GRMN 1110 AND 1120 AND 2110 |
| Human Geography | 3 | ||
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | ||
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | JPNS 1110 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | JPNS 1110 AND 1120 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | JPNS 1110 AND 1120 AND 2110 |
| Latin | 3 | ||
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2110G |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2120G |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUSC 1210 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1230G/1230L |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1240G/1240L |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 3 | PHYS 1320G/1320L |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 3 | PHYS 1310G/1310L |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | MAT1240 | |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | MAT1250 | |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSY 1110G |
| Research | 3 | 3 | HNRS 2980 |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | HNRS 1980 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPAN 1110 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPAN 1110 AND 1120 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | SPAN 1110 AND 1120 AND 2110 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 1350G |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 1120G |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 1110G |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIST 1110G AND HIST 1120G |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 1130G |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | HIST 1130G AND HIST 1140G |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
54%
Come back for a second year
73%
Typical earnings
$43,922
a year, 10 years after starting here
- New Mexico State University-Main Campus$87,038
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 39 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with New Mexico State University-Main Campus. The New Mexico State University-Main Campus logo is a trademark of the college.