Nursing Schools in New Mexico
New Mexico has fewer programs than most states, but you can still find one that fits your background and goals. Stick to accredited programs, since unaccredited ones can block both licensure and employment, then compare tuition, financial aid, NCLEX pass rates, and acceptance rates. For online programs, confirm you can get clinical placement in your community.
Northern New Mexico College (Española) has trained nurses since 1973 through accelerated "career ladder" degrees. Certified nurse aides and LPNs can move into an ACEN-accredited ADN, and RNs can earn a CCNE-accredited BSN. The online RN-to-BSN lets working RNs keep practicing and takes about two years.
- Program: ADN, BSN
- Campus: Española, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: CCNE; ACEN
- Tuition: $136 per credit for New Mexico residents; $505 out-of-state; $204 for Western Undergraduate Exchange students; $270 for the RN-to-BSN
- Admission Requirements: RN-to-BSN applicants need an ADN or nursing diploma; current RN license; official transcripts; background check for clinical rotations
- Minimum Time Commitment: Two years
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
University of New Mexico-Taos (Ranchos de Taos) offers a two-year ADN that prepares students for the NCLEX-RN or transfer to a four-year program through the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium. Cohorts run small, at 16 students, across 74 credits. Clinical rotations take place at sites including Holy Cross Hospital.
- Program: ADN, certified nursing assistant certificate
- Campus: Ranchos de Taos, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $10,860 per year for New Mexico residents; $27,166 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: Current CNA certificate; cover letter; resume; high school and college transcripts; ATI TEAS
- Minimum Time Commitment: Two years
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $68,965 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)
New Mexico State University Carlsbad offers an ADN plus LPN and CNA programs. The LPN program takes one year and the ADN about two, covering human growth, dosage calculations, health deviations, and physical assessment. NMSU Carlsbad also runs a fully online RN-to-BSN with the Las Cruces campus.
- Program: Associate degree in nursing
- Campus: Carlsbad, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $41 per credit in-district; $74 out-of-district; $93-$159 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: Official transcripts; high school diploma or GED; HESI A2 scores
- Minimum Time Commitment: One year
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 100% first-time
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $63,997 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)
Luna Community College (Las Vegas, NM) runs an ADN built for applicants with prior healthcare experience. Students complete 71 credits, including a clinical intensive and capstone, and must pass the ATI Comprehensive Predictor Exam to receive an affidavit of graduation from the New Mexico Board of Nursing.
- Program: Associate degree in nursing
- Campus: Las Vegas, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $43 per credit
- Admission Requirements: TEAS scores; at least 18 years old; high school and/or college transcripts; minimum 2.75 GPA in prerequisites; ATI Fundamentals Exam for the LPN program
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 85% first-time
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $57,318 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)
New Mexico Junior College (Hobbs) admits up to 50 students a year to its associate nursing program. The two-year degree prepares learners for the NCLEX-RN, starting with anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology and ending with clinical intensive and capstone courses. Applications close May 20 each year.
- Program: Associate of applied science in nursing, CNA certificate, LPN certificate
- Campus: Hobbs, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $40 per credit in-district; $60 for out-of-district New Mexico and Texas residents; $75 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: Official transcripts; high school diploma or GED
- Minimum Time Commitment: Two years
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 88.9% first-time
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $59,169 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)
University of New Mexico (Albuquerque) offers CCNE-accredited graduate and undergraduate programs, including four BSN options: a pre-licensure BSN, an RN-to-BSN, a direct-entry pathway for high school seniors, and a dual-degree option taught at six community college campuses. Pre-licensure students study at the Albuquerque or Rio Rancho campus.
- Program: BSN, MSN, doctor of nursing practice, Ph.D. in nursing
- Campus: Albuquerque, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: CCNE
- Tuition: $359-$614 per credit for New Mexico residents; $1,218-$1,355 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: RN-to-BSN students need a current RN license; minimum 2.5 college GPA; at least 26 transferable credits
- On-Campus Requirements: Varies by program
- School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93.2% first-time
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $70,863 (bachelor's), $94,999 (master's), and $135,393 (doctoral) graduates (College Scorecard)
University of New Mexico-Gallup has trained nurses since 2002, graduating cohorts twice a year. The ADN requires 70 credits and the BSN 128. The selective BSN admits eight students each semester, who take prerequisites at the Gallup campus before finishing at UNM's College of Nursing.
- Program: Associate of science in nursing, BSN, CNA certificate
- Campus: Gallup, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $81 per credit for New Mexico residents; $196 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: Meet with a nursing advisor; take the TEAS; complete prerequisites
- Minimum Time Commitment: Four semesters
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 83.3% first-time
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $68,965 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)
Doña Ana Community College (Las Cruces), part of the NMSU system, offers a flexible LPN-to-ADN path. Students finish an LPN program, then add 15 credits for the associate degree. The 69-credit program covers pharmacology, nursing skills and assessment, anatomy and physiology, plus geriatric, mental health, and maternal-child nursing.
- Program: ADN, LPN certificate
- Campus: Las Cruces, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $74 per credit in-district; $85 out-of-district; $236 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: High school and/or college transcripts; minimum 3.0 GPA; admissions interview
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $63,997 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)
Navajo Technical University (Crownpoint), opened in 1979, runs a nursing assistant certificate that prepares graduates for the New Mexico nurse-assisting certification exam. Courses cover pathophysiology, admission exams, technical communication, and nutrition through labs and clinical rotations.
- Program: Certified nursing assistant certificate
- Campus: Crownpoint, NM
- Type: Public
- Tuition: $71 per credit for students with a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood; $143 per credit without
- Admission Requirements: Minimum 2.0 GPA; official transcripts; high school diploma or GED; CPR training
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
University of New Mexico-Valencia (Los Lunas) enrolls eight students a year in its ADN and also runs a five-semester dual ADN/BSN. The curriculum covers general nursing principles, assessment and health promotion, and care of patients with chronic conditions, ending with a capstone and clinical intensive.
- Program: Associate degree in nursing
- Campus: Los Lunas, NM
- Type: Public
- Accreditations: ACEN
- Tuition: $75 per credit for New Mexico residents; $210 out-of-state
- Admission Requirements: High school diploma or GED; official transcripts; Kaplan Admissions Test
- Minimum Time Commitment: Five semesters
- On-Campus Requirements: Yes
- School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 76.9% first-time
- Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $68,965 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)
Why Nurse in New Mexico
New Mexico is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so you can earn a multistate license that lets you practice across the 41 participating states and jurisdictions. The state offers up to $12,000 a year in loan forgiveness for eligible nurses: you must be a New Mexico resident of 12 months or more, attend nursing school in the state, and work in an underserved area after graduation. The New Mexico Nurses Foundation also offers scholarships. New Mexico's cost-of-living index sits at 90.6 against a national 100, so salaries stretch further here.
New Mexico is also a full-practice-authority state. Nurse practitioners can serve as primary care providers, prescribe, and treat patients independently, much like a physician.
Salaries and Job Outlook
New Mexico RNs earn a median of about $88,260 a year, just below the national median of $93,600 (BLS, May 2024). Half of the state's RNs earn between roughly $65,000 and $105,000, with urban nurses at the top of that range. Nurse practitioners earn more, landing near the national NP median of about $129,000. Demand is strongest in rural areas, and national APRN employment is projected to grow about 35% from 2024 to 2034 (BLS). Among New Mexico metros, Santa Fe and Albuquerque post the highest RN pay, followed by Farmington and Las Cruces.
Becoming a Nurse in New Mexico
The New Mexico Board of Nursing licenses all nurses in the state, approves nursing programs, and sets continuing education (CE) requirements. Certified nursing assistants complete at least 75 hours of an approved in-state program and pass the Nurse Aide Competency Exam.
RN Requirements
Earn an ADN or BSN from an accredited New Mexico program, completing the required clinical hours before sitting for the NCLEX-RN. The application carries a $110 fee, a $44 background-check fee, and a $200 exam fee, and the board usually takes three to four weeks to process it. Submit your application before graduating. Renewal costs $93 and requires at least 30 CE hours. As of May 3, 2018, you may take the NCLEX-RN up to three times within three years of first becoming eligible.
APRN Requirements
Earn a master's or doctor of nursing practice from an accredited program and pass a certification exam in your specialty. Because licensing can take several weeks, your employer can request a temporary permit on your behalf if they intend to hire you. To gain prescriptive authority, nurse practitioners must complete 400 hours of preceptorship training plus coursework in assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. APRN licensure carries a $100 fee, renews every two years, and requires at least 50 CE hours per period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nurses make in New Mexico? New Mexico RNs earn a median of about $88,260, just below the national RN median of $93,600 (BLS, May 2024). Nurse practitioners earn more, landing near the national median of $132,050 for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners.
Can I use a New Mexico nursing license in other states? Yes. New Mexico is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state, so a multistate license issued here lets you practice in the other 40 compact states, including by telehealth across state lines, without a separate license in each one.
Is New Mexico a full-practice-authority state for nurse practitioners? Yes. New Mexico grants full practice authority, so NPs can serve as primary care providers, prescribe, and treat patients independently after meeting the state's preceptorship and pharmacology requirements.
How long does it take to become an RN in New Mexico? A full-time ADN runs about two years and a BSN about four. After graduating from an accredited program, you pass the NCLEX-RN and apply to the New Mexico Board of Nursing, which usually processes applications in three to four weeks.
Are nurses in demand in New Mexico? Yes, especially in rural areas. Nationally, RN employment is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034 with about 189,100 openings a year, and APRN employment is projected to grow 35% over the same period (BLS).
Does New Mexico offer loan forgiveness for nurses? Yes. Eligible nurses can receive up to $12,000 a year in loan repayment if they are New Mexico residents of 12 months or more, trained in state, and work in a designated underserved area after graduation.