ENMU vs. USW

Should I go to Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus or University of the Southwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ENMU or USW is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus vs. University of the Southwest comparison
Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus University of the Southwest College 3 College 4
Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus
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Overview

 ENMU USW
Location Portales, NM Hobbs, NM
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,106 1,066
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #943
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website enmu.edu usw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ENMU USW
Tuition (In State) $4,194 $17,000
Tuition (Out of State) $6,174 $17,000
Room & Board $8,170 $8,910
Avg Net Price $8,702 $20,533
Avg Grant Aid $8,719 $8,365
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 ENMU USW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,713 -
Admitted 472 -
Acceptance Rate 27.6% Open
Enrolled % 92.4% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.23 2.63
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 16/22
SAT Range 840/1100
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 24, 2025

Academics

 ENMU USW
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (29%)
  • Psychology (17%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 ENMU USW
Graduation Rate 24% 18%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $33,800 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,267 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $147 $242

Diversity

 ENMU USW
% Men 36% 38%
% Women 64% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 12%
% Black 5% 14%
% Hispanic 38% 47%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 26%

Students

 ENMU USW
% In-State 79% 48%
% Out-of-State 15% 48%

Campus

 ENMU USW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus is larger than than USW based on total student enrollment (5,106 students vs. 1,066 students)

ENMU vs. USW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ENMU or USW?

  • University of the Southwest is 305.3% more expensive to attend than ENMU for in-state tuition ($17,000.00 vs. $4,194.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 175.3% higher at USW than Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus ($17,000.00 vs. $6,174.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus than USW ($8,702 vs. $20,533)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus are 9.1% lower than costs at University of the Southwest ($8,170 vs. $8,910)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Southwest than Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus students is 4.2% larger than aid received University of the Southwest ($8,719 vs. $8,365)

Which college is harder to get into, ENMU or USW? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USW or ENMU .

  • Accepted freshman ENMU students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at USW (2.63)

ENMU vs. USW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ENMU or USW? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between USW and ENMU.

  • The graduation rate at ENMU is higher than University of the Southwest (24% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from University of the Southwest earn on average $11,900 more per year than ENMU graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $33,800)
  • Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus students graduate with a $9,233 lower median federal student loan debt than USW graduates. ($14,267 vs. $23,500)
  • ENMU graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than USW graduates. ($147 vs. $242)
  • More USW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ENMU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/