Head-to-head comparison
New Mexico Highlands University vs Clovis Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Las Vegas, NM
New Mexico Highlands University
- Net price / year
- $14,838
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,937
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Clovis, NM
Clovis Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,230
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,020
- 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 $34,020 at Clovis Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | New Mexico Highlands University | Clovis Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,838 | $3,230 |
| Total net cost | $59,352 | $12,920 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,937 | $34,020 |
| Median debt | $11,399 | $7,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$107,812 | -$299,720 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, New Mexico Highlands University or Clovis Community College?
Clovis Community College, at $3,230 a year after aid versus $14,838 — a gap of $11,608 a year, or $46,432 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 New Mexico Highlands University or Clovis Community College graduates earn more?
New Mexico Highlands University graduates report a median $45,937 ten years after entry, $11,917 more than the $34,020 at Clovis Community College. 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, New Mexico Highlands University or Clovis Community College?
Clovis Community College: its completers carry a median $7,250 in federal loans versus $11,399 at New Mexico Highlands University, a difference of $4,149. 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?
34% of students finish at Clovis Community College, 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.