New Mexico Highlands University — ROI, Cost & Payback
New Mexico Highlands University charges a net price of $14,838/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $59,352. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,937, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, New Mexico Highlands University does not clear its cost — it ranks #6 of 32 New Mexico colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,838/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $59,352 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,937 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,423/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,399 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$107,812 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on New Mexico Highlands University's own numbers. Net price $14,838 × 4 years = $59,352 total. Median earnings $45,937 fall $2,423 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $59,352 bill in about 5.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do New Mexico Highlands University students graduate with?
A median $11,399 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $45,937 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of New Mexico Highlands University students graduate?
26% finish their degree — 74% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $59,352 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $228,277 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is New Mexico Highlands University expensive compared with other New Mexico colleges?
Its $14,838 net price runs $7,516 above the $7,323 median across the 32 New Mexico colleges we profile, or $30,062 more across the full degree.