NMSU vs. University of Houston-Downtown

Should I go to New Mexico State University Main Campus or University of Houston Downtown? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NMSU or University of Houston-Downtown 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. University of Houston Downtown comparison
New Mexico State University Main Campus University of Houston Downtown College 3 College 4
New Mexico State University Main Campus University of Houston Downtown
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Overview

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
Location Las Cruces, NM Houston, TX
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 14,779 14,105
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #731 #923
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nmsu.edu uhd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
Tuition (In State) $6,283 $6,252
Tuition (Out of State) $23,407 $16,332
Room & Board $12,026 $9,882
Avg Net Price $8,353 $14,269
Avg Grant Aid $15,073 $8,246
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 81%

Admission

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,201 6,953
Admitted 11,511 6,302
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 90.6%Open
Enrolled % 20.8% 23.7%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 17/23
SAT Range 885/1110 960/1110
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 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
Graduation Rate 46% 15%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,400 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 41%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,118 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $176 $193

Diversity

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
% Men 7% 3%
% Women 11% 5%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 30% 17%
% Black 3% 23%
% Hispanic 55% 43%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
% In-State 79% 99%
% Out-of-State 19% 1%

Campus

NMSU University of Houston-Downtown
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • New Mexico State University Main Campus is larger than than University of Houston-Downtown based on total student enrollment (14,779 students vs. 14,105 students)

NMSU vs. University of Houston-Downtown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NMSU or University of Houston-Downtown?

  • New Mexico State University Main Campus is 0.5% more expensive to attend than University of Houston-Downtown for in-state tuition ($6,283.00 vs. $6,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.3% higher at NMSU than University of Houston Downtown ($23,407.00 vs. $16,332.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than University of Houston-Downtown ($8,353 vs. $14,269)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston Downtown are 21.7% lower than costs at New Mexico State University Main Campus ($9,882 vs. $12,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at New Mexico State University Main Campus than University of Houston Downtown (97% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New Mexico State University Main Campus students is 82.8% larger than aid received University of Houston Downtown ($15,073 vs. $8,246)

NMSU vs. University of Houston-Downtown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at New Mexico State University Main Campus (983) is 89 points higher than at University of Houston-Downtown (894)
  • Incoming NMSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of Houston-Downtown (18)
  • Accepted freshman NMSU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at University of Houston-Downtown (3.29)
  • University of Houston-Downtown has a higher acceptance rate (90.6%) than NMSU (75.7%)

NMSU vs. University of Houston-Downtown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NMSU or University of Houston-Downtown? 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 University of Houston-Downtown and NMSU.

  • The graduation rate at NMSU is higher than University of Houston Downtown (46% vs. 15%)
  • Graduates from University of Houston Downtown earn on average $8,000 more per year than NMSU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $39,400)
  • New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,632 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Houston-Downtown graduates. ($17,118 vs. $18,750)
  • NMSU graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than University of Houston-Downtown graduates. ($176 vs. $193)
  • More NMSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Houston-Downtown students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 41%)

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