New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University (NMSU) is a public land-grant research university headquartered in Las Cruces, New Mexico

Quick Facts
Founded: September 17, 1888 as Las Cruces College; became New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1889
Type: Land-grant, space-grant, Carnegie R1 research university
Campus: 900-acre main campus in Las Cruces, a midsize suburb near the Organ Mountains
Enrollment: 22,711 total headcount; 15,408 at Las Cruces campus with 12,507 undergrads and 2,901 postgrads
Students: From 49 states and 89 foreign countries
Designations: Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) & Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). Student body is 45% Hispanic and 35.20% of grad students identify as Hispanic or Latino
Mascot & Colors: Aggies, with Pistol Pete as mascot. Crimson and white, with turquoise as unofficial
Athletics: NCAA Division I FBS, Conference USA
President: Valerio Ferme
Endowment: $421.5 million (2025)
Academics & Research
Colleges: 6 academic colleges offering 180+ undergrad majors and 120+ graduate degrees
Research: $110.6M in research expenditures for FY'21. Home to the first Honors College in New Mexico
Notable programs: Agriculture, engineering, animation & game design, animal sciences, and the only professional golf management degree in the state
Graduate offerings: 68 master's, 27 research doctoral, 1 professional doctoral, plus 39 distance programs
Campus & Community
System: NMSU has 5 campuses, a satellite learning center in Albuquerque, 33 county extension offices, and 12 ag research centers
Architecture: Five buildings designed by Henry C. Trost in Spanish Renaissance style
Living costs (approx): Housing $5,200, food $4,180, transport $840, utilities $2,870
Tuition (grad): $5,181 in-state, $18,023 out-of-state avg
Recent Highlights
Ranked the #1 National University in New Mexico
Awarded $350K EPA grant in 2024 for pollution prevention technical assistance to breweries in environmental justice communities
Admissions Basics
Application opens: July 1
Top scholarships deadline: December 1
English proficiency: Bachelor: Duolingo 95+, TOEFL 68+, IELTS 6+. Master: Duolingo 105+, TOEFL 79+, IELTS 6.5+
App fee: $40 for grad