NMSU vs. UTEP

Should I go to New Mexico State University Main Campus or The University of Texas at El Paso? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NMSU or UTEP 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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New Mexico State University Main Campus vs. The University of Texas at El Paso comparison
New Mexico State University Main Campus The University of Texas at El Paso College 3 College 4
New Mexico State University Main Campus The University of Texas at El Paso
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Overview

 NMSU UTEP
Location Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 14,779 24,351
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #731 #1045
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nmsu.edu utep.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NMSU UTEP
Tuition (In State) $6,283 $7,704
Tuition (Out of State) $23,407 $23,472
Room & Board $12,026 $10,864
Avg Net Price $8,353 $10,333
Avg Grant Aid $15,073 $9,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 80%

Admission

 NMSU UTEP
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,201 11,171
Admitted 11,511 11,160
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 99.9%
Enrolled % 20.8% 35.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 17/23
SAT Range 885/1110 870/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

 NMSU UTEP
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 NMSU UTEP
Graduation Rate 46% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,118 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $176 $178

Diversity

 NMSU UTEP
% Men 7% 6%
% Women 11% 9%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 30% 7%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 55% 83%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 NMSU UTEP
% In-State 79% 92%
% Out-of-State 19% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Texas at El Paso is larger than than NMSU based on total student enrollment (24,351 students vs. 14,779 students)

NMSU vs. UTEP Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NMSU or UTEP?

  • The University of Texas at El Paso is 22.6% more expensive to attend than NMSU for in-state tuition ($7,704.00 vs. $6,283.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at UTEP than New Mexico State University Main Campus ($23,472.00 vs. $23,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than UTEP ($8,353 vs. $10,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at El Paso are 10.7% lower than costs at New Mexico State University Main Campus ($10,864 vs. $12,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at New Mexico State University Main Campus than The University of Texas at El Paso (97% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New Mexico State University Main Campus students is 66.7% larger than aid received The University of Texas at El Paso ($15,073 vs. $9,043)

NMSU vs. UTEP Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at New Mexico State University Main Campus (983) is 50 points higher than at UTEP (933)
  • Incoming NMSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at UTEP (20)
  • Accepted freshman NMSU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at UTEP (3.3)
  • UTEP has a higher acceptance rate (99.9%) than NMSU (75.7%)

NMSU vs. UTEP Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NMSU or UTEP? 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 UTEP and NMSU.

  • The graduation rate at NMSU is higher than The University of Texas at El Paso (46% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from The University of Texas at El Paso earn on average $2,800 more per year than NMSU graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $39,400)
  • New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $132 lower median federal student loan debt than UTEP graduates. ($17,118 vs. $17,250)
  • NMSU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UTEP graduates. ($176 vs. $178)
  • More UTEP graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NMSU students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 44%)

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