UNK vs. NMSU

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

UNK NMSU
Location Kearney, NE Las Cruces, NM
Setting Remote Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 6,041 14,268
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #571 #811
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu nmsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNK NMSU
Tuition (In State) $6,220 $6,283
Tuition (Out of State) $12,036 $23,407
Room & Board $11,390 $11,252
Avg Net Price $16,564 $10,407
Avg Grant Aid $7,282 $13,168
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

UNK NMSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,794 15,860
Admitted 5,842 12,378
Acceptance Rate 86% 78%
Enrolled % 14.8% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 17/23
SAT Range 1000/1200 900/1140
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

UNK NMSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

UNK NMSU
Graduation Rate 61% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $39,400
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $17,118
Median Loan Payment $219 $176

Diversity

UNK NMSU
% Men 34% 42%
% Women 66% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 30%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 55%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

UNK NMSU
% In-State 85% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • New Mexico State University Main Campus is larger than than UNK based on total student enrollment (14,268 students vs. 6,041 students)

UNK vs. NMSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or NMSU?

  • New Mexico State University Main Campus is 1% more expensive to attend than UNK for in-state tuition ($6,283.00 vs. $6,220.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.5% higher at NMSU than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($23,407.00 vs. $12,036.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than UNK ($10,407 vs. $16,564)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New Mexico State University Main Campus are 1.2% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($11,252 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than New Mexico State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New Mexico State University Main Campus students is 80.8% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($13,168 vs. $7,282)

UNK vs. NMSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 66 points higher than at NMSU (983)
  • Incoming UNK students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NMSU (21)
  • Accepted freshman NMSU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • UNK has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than NMSU (78%)

UNK vs. NMSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than New Mexico State University Main Campus (61% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn on average $4,000 more per year than NMSU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $39,400)
  • New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $4,132 lower median federal student loan debt than UNK graduates. ($17,118 vs. $21,250)
  • NMSU graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than UNK graduates. ($176 vs. $219)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NMSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 44%)

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