UNM vs. UTEP

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

 UNM UTEP
Location Albuquerque, NM El Paso, TX
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 22,700 24,351
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #671 #1045
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unm.edu utep.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNM UTEP
Tuition (In State) $6,803 $7,704
Tuition (Out of State) $25,138 $23,472
Room & Board $11,884 $10,864
Avg Net Price $7,528 $10,333
Avg Grant Aid $12,252 $9,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 80%

Admission

 UNM UTEP
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,907 11,171
Admitted 12,320 11,160
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 99.9%
Enrolled % 29.3% 35.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 17/23
SAT Range 900/1160 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

 UNM UTEP
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 UNM UTEP
Graduation Rate 44% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $201 $178

Diversity

 UNM UTEP
% Men 11% 6%
% Women 14% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 7%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 47% 83%
% Native American 6% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UNM UTEP
% In-State 84% 92%
% Out-of-State 15% 2%

Campus

 UNM 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 UNM based on total student enrollment (24,351 students vs. 22,700 students)

UNM vs. UTEP Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNM or UTEP?

  • The University of Texas at El Paso is 13.2% more expensive to attend than UNM for in-state tuition ($7,704.00 vs. $6,803.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.1% higher at UNM than The University of Texas at El Paso ($25,138.00 vs. $23,472.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of New Mexico Main Campus than UTEP ($7,528 vs. $10,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at El Paso are 9.4% lower than costs at University of New Mexico Main Campus ($10,864 vs. $11,884)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of New Mexico Main Campus than The University of Texas at El Paso (99% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of New Mexico Main Campus students is 35.5% larger than aid received The University of Texas at El Paso ($12,252 vs. $9,043)

UNM vs. UTEP Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of New Mexico Main Campus (1040) is 107 points higher than at UTEP (933)
  • Incoming UNM students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UTEP (20)
  • Accepted freshman UNM students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at UTEP (3.3)
  • UTEP has a higher acceptance rate (99.9%) than UNM (95.5%)

UNM vs. UTEP Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNM 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 UNM.

  • The graduation rate at UNM is higher than The University of Texas at El Paso (44% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of New Mexico Main Campus earn on average $500 more per year than UTEP graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $42,200)
  • The University of Texas at El Paso students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than UNM graduates. ($17,250 vs. $19,500)
  • UTEP graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than UNM graduates. ($178 vs. $201)
  • More UNM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTEP students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 45%)

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