Best colleges for Registered Nursing in New Mexico
Ranked by graduate earnings
Eastern New Mexico University, University of New Mexico and Brookline College - Albuquerque are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in New Mexico by graduate earnings. Eastern New Mexico University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $83,465, College Scorecard. University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and Brookline College - Albuquerque award the most Registered Nursing degrees in New Mexico: 416, 178 and 111 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 21 New Mexico colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 1,446 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 6 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern New Mexico University Portales Public · Bachelor's degree | $83,465 | 50 | 45% | — | $18,750 |
| 2 | University of New Mexico Albuquerque Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,216 | 416 | 55% | — | $25,271 |
| 3 | Brookline College - Albuquerque Albuquerque Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $78,980 | 111 | 47% | $41,032 | $41,937 |
| 4 | New Mexico State University Las Cruces Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,229 | 178 | 55% | — | $20,500 |
| 5 | New Mexico Highlands University Las Vegas Public · Bachelor's degree | $88,137 | 75 | 26% | — | $21,392 |
| 6 | Western New Mexico University Silver City Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $73,666 | 18 | 32% | — | $31,088 |
Top 9 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrington College - Albuquerque Albuquerque Private for-profit · Associate degree | $76,515 | 51 | 65% | $40,252 | $32,969 |
| 2 | Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque Public · Associate degree | $74,923 | 204 | 31% | — | $14,519 |
| 3 | Clovis Community College Clovis Public · Associate degree | $73,387 | 28 | 34% | — | $12,250 |
| 4 | New Mexico Junior College Hobbs Public · Associate degree | $71,456 | 29 | 58% | — | $13,472 |
| 5 | San Juan College Farmington Public · Associate degree | $67,860 | 37 | 37% | — | $19,993 |
| 6 | Santa Fe Community College Santa Fe Public · Associate degree | $79,098 | 21 | 23% | — | $28,074 |
| 7 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana Las Cruces Public · Associate degree | $78,510 | 54 | 19% | — | $16,467 |
| 8 | Southeast New Mexico College Carlsbad Public · Associate degree Small program | $78,510 | 14 | 20% | — | $16,467 |
| 9 | University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus Gallup Public · Associate degree | $71,767 | 28 | 20% | — | $11,536 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in New Mexico
Top 7 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New Mexico Albuquerque Public | 416 | $82,216 |
| 2 | New Mexico State University Las Cruces Public | 178 | $73,229 |
| 3 | Brookline College - Albuquerque Albuquerque Private for-profit | 111 | $78,980 |
| 4 | Eastern New Mexico University Portales Public | 50 | $83,465 |
| 5 | Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus Roswell Public | 42 | Not reported |
| 6 | Western New Mexico University Silver City Public | 18 | $73,666 |
| 7 | Mesalands Community College Tucumcari Public | 9 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 14 New Mexico colleges offering Registered Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central New Mexico Community College | Albuquerque | Public | 204 |
| New Mexico Highlands University | Las Vegas | Public | 75 |
| New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces | Public | 54 |
| Carrington College - Albuquerque | Albuquerque | Private for-profit | 51 |
| San Juan College | Farmington | Public | 37 |
| Northern New Mexico College | Espanola | Public | 30 |
| New Mexico Junior College | Hobbs | Public | 29 |
| Clovis Community College | Clovis | Public | 28 |
| University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus | Gallup | Public | 28 |
| Luna Community College | Las Vegas | Public | 23 |
| Santa Fe Community College | Santa Fe | Public | 21 |
| University of New Mexico-Valencia County Campus | Los Lunas | Public | 15 |
| Southeast New Mexico College | Carlsbad | Public | 14 |
| University of New Mexico-Taos Campus | Ranchos de Taos | Public | 13 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in New Mexico
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in New Mexico.
Which New Mexico colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
University of New Mexico (416 graduates a year), New Mexico State University (178 graduates a year) and Brookline College - Albuquerque (111 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in New Mexico, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 21 New Mexico colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in New Mexico?+
By graduate earnings, Eastern New Mexico University leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in New Mexico, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $83,465, College Scorecard. University of New Mexico and Brookline College - Albuquerque follow. By degrees awarded, University of New Mexico is the largest, with 416 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in New Mexico has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Eastern New Mexico University tops the list at $83,465. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in New Mexico?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in New Mexico is $95,290 (median $94,340), across about 17,980 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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