Head-to-head comparison
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus vs New Mexico Highlands University: which has better ROI?
Option A Portales, NM
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
- Net price / year
- $4,904
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,550
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Las Vegas, NM
New Mexico Highlands University
- Net price / year
- $14,838
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,937
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but New Mexico Highlands University comes closer — median earnings $45,937 against a $59,352 total, vs $38,550 at Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | New Mexico Highlands University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,904 | $14,838 |
| Total net cost | $19,616 | $59,352 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,550 | $45,937 |
| Median debt | $16,500 | $11,399 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$215,816 | -$107,812 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus or New Mexico Highlands University?
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus, at $4,904 a year after aid versus $14,838 — a gap of $9,934 a year, or $39,736 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus or New Mexico Highlands University graduates earn more?
New Mexico Highlands University graduates report a median $45,937 ten years after entry, $7,387 more than the $38,550 at Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus or New Mexico Highlands University?
New Mexico Highlands University: its completers carry a median $11,399 in federal loans versus $16,500 at Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus, a difference of $5,101. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
45% of students finish at Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus, against 26% at New Mexico Highlands University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.