There are 44 colleges in New Mexico - 28 public and 16 private schools. At New Mexico colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
New Mexico Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at New Mexico colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 29.15%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 24.31%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $32,993 when living on campus and $33,861 when living off campus.
New Mexico Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
36.63% (from $5,324 to $7,274) |
$7,274 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
29.69% (from $12,503 to $16,215) |
$16,215 |
| Private Colleges |
28.09% (from $22,322 to $28,592) |
$28,592 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 29.69%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 35.63% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At New Mexico colleges, living costs increased by 30.93% for on-campus and 20.93% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $15,433 (on-campus) and $16,301 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (7.09%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,345.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 29.15% when living on campus and 24.31% when living off campus at New Mexico Colleges.
In private New Mexico Colleges, the COA has increase by 28.29% (on-campus) and 24.77% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $32,993 when a student lives on campus and $33,861 when living off campus at New Mexico Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for New Mexico Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of New Mexico Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$18,367 | $25,546 | $35,365 | $20,060 | $27,239 | $37,058 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$18,894
2.87% | $26,267
2.82% | $37,035
4.72% | $19,947
-0.56% | $27,320
0.30% | $38,088
2.78% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$19,352
2.42% | $26,951
2.60% | $37,862
2.23% | $20,300
1.77% | $27,899
2.12% | $38,810
1.90% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$19,968
3.18% | $27,390
1.63% | $37,627
-0.62% | $20,992
3.41% | $28,414
1.85% | $38,651
-0.41% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$20,562
2.97% | $28,229
3.06% | $34,252
-8.97% | $21,408
1.98% | $29,075
2.33% | $35,098
-9.19% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$20,938
1.83% | $28,807
2.05% | $35,806
4.54% | $21,505
0.45% | $29,374
1.03% | $36,373
3.63% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$21,190
1.20% | $29,194
1.34% | $40,703
13.68% | $21,552
0.22% | $29,556
0.62% | $41,065
12.90% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$22,740
7.31% | $30,469
4.37% | $40,307
-0.97% | $23,589
9.45% | $31,318
5.96% | $41,156
0.22% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$23,753
4.45% | $31,390
3.02% | $41,297
2.46% | $24,649
4.49% | $32,286
3.09% | $42,193
2.52% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$24,052
1.26% | $32,993
5.11% | $45,370
9.86% | $24,920
1.10% | $33,861
4.88% | $46,238
9.59% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for New Mexico Colleges is $9,114 for New Mexico residents and $18,055 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $29,271.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $9,654 for New Mexico residents and $17,322 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $21,531.
The tuition & fees has increased 29.69% for undergraduate programs and 35.63% for graduate programs at New Mexico Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for New Mexico Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$5,324 | $12,503 | $22,322 | $5,640 | $11,587 | $17,450 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$5,704
7.14% | $13,077
4.59% | $23,845
6.82% | $6,380
13.12% | $12,508
7.95% | $18,489
5.95% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$5,870
2.91% | $13,469
3.00% | $24,380
2.24% | $6,597
3.40% | $12,969
3.69% | $20,213
9.32% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$6,057
3.19% | $13,479
0.07% | $23,716
-2.72% | $6,549
-0.73% | $12,315
-5.04% | $20,976
3.77% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$6,270
3.52% | $13,937
3.40% | $19,960
-15.84% | $6,736
2.86% | $12,723
3.31% | $22,043
5.09% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$6,359
1.42% | $14,228
2.09% | $21,227
6.35% | $6,740
0.06% | $12,797
0.58% | $22,234
0.87% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$6,437
1.23% | $14,441
1.50% | $25,950
22.25% | $6,765
0.37% | $12,806
0.07% | $23,141
4.08% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$7,355
14.26% | $15,084
4.45% | $24,922
-3.96% | $6,275
-7.24% | $12,486
-2.50% | $24,561
6.14% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$7,673
4.32% | $15,310
1.50% | $25,217
1.18% | $7,146
13.88% | $14,711
17.82% | $25,650
4.43% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$7,274
-5.20% | $16,215
5.91% | $28,592
13.38% | $8,048
12.62% | $15,716
6.83% | $20,532
-19.95% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,345 for New Mexico Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for New Mexico Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,256 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,259
0.24% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,251
-0.64% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,277
2.08% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,280
0.23% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,254
-2.03% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,283
2.31% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,244
-3.04% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,352
8.68% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,345
-0.52% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For New Mexico Colleges, the living have increased 23.85% when a student lives on campus facilities and 18.69% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for New Mexico Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,787 | $12,420 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $11,931
1.63% | $12,080
-0.26% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $12,231
4.60% | $12,419
2.57% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $12,634
2.85% | $12,741
4.29% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $13,012
3.79% | $13,158
1.22% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $13,325
5.12% | $13,723
-0.61% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $13,470
1.52% | $13,536
2.78% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $14,141
4.30% | $14,395
7.12% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $14,728
4.04% | $14,967
4.39% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $15,433
3.99% | $15,646
3.74% |
|---|