Head-to-head comparison
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana vs Brookline College-Albuquerque: which has better ROI?
Option A Las Cruces, NM
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana
- Net price / year
- $6,048
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,067
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Albuquerque, NM
Brookline College-Albuquerque
- Net price / year
- $37,459
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,576
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but New Mexico State University-Dona Ana comes closer — median earnings $39,067 against a $12,096 total, vs $29,576 at Brookline College-Albuquerque. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | New Mexico State University-Dona Ana | Brookline College-Albuquerque |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,048 | $37,459 |
| Total net cost | $12,096 | $149,836 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,067 | $29,576 |
| Median debt | $17,095 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$197,956 | -$525,516 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, New Mexico State University-Dona Ana or Brookline College-Albuquerque?
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana, at $6,048 a year after aid versus $37,459 — a gap of $31,411 a year, or $137,740 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 State University-Dona Ana or Brookline College-Albuquerque graduates earn more?
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana graduates report a median $39,067 ten years after entry, $9,491 more than the $29,576 at Brookline College-Albuquerque. 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 State University-Dona Ana or Brookline College-Albuquerque?
Brookline College-Albuquerque: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $17,095 at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana, a difference of $7,595. 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?
47% of students finish at Brookline College-Albuquerque, against 19% at New Mexico State University-Dona Ana. 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.