Points of Pride

Unleashing Potential

We are New Mexico’s land-grant institution, dedicated to teaching, research and extension service. NMSU serves a multi-cultural population of students and community members across the state at five campuses, a satellite learning center in Albuquerque, cooperative extension offices located in each of New Mexico's 33 counties, and 13 agriculture research and science centers. Plus, distance education programs give students maximum flexibility. Our Honors College, the only one in the state, offers qualified undergraduates the opportunity to further enrich a challenging academic program via rigorous classes taught by master teachers. NMSU is truly a reflection of the region’s vibrant communities – an exciting place to live, learn and thrive.

Excellence in Teaching

Our dedicated professors provide the resources our students need to achieve their best and meet their academic and personal goals. Inside and outside of the classroom, NMSU's professors actively engage with undergraduate and graduate students, offering individual attention in a learning-centered environment. The Teaching Academy is just one of the many resources that keep our professors at the top of their game. For videos of professors talking about their passion for teaching, research and service, click here.

NMSU has a long-standing commitment to meeting contemporary needs of our students. Among institutions of higher education in New Mexico, we alone offer:

an Honors College
Aerospace, industrial and surveying engineering
engineering physics
engineering technology
information and communication technology
professional golf management

In response to industry demand, the College of Engineering developed a bachelor’s degree in Information Engineering Technology, preparing graduates for careers in information security, eCommerce, data mining and networking.

College of Education’s culturally responsive math, science and technology education (STEM) program makes software technology available to classroom teachers, allowing them to develop their own computer-based learning materials tailored to the needs of their students.

Celebrating Diversity

NMSU is classified as a Hispanic-serving institution by the U.S. Department of Education and is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Our student population on the Las Cruces campus is 45 percent Hispanic; other minorities that make up the student body include American Indians, Asians and African-Americans. Historically, NMSU has supported minorities in their academic goals--in fact, we admitted an African-American woman in 1928, well ahead of most other institutions of higher education. The university offers a multitude of support services to all students; interested minorities may also take advantage of the American Indian Program, Black Programs and Chicano Programs offices.

A National Science Foundation academic research and development expenditures survey (2009 statistics, the most current issued by the NSF) ranked NMSU 3rd nationally in research and development expenditures at Hispanic-serving institutions--we're #1 in that category among universities without medical schools.
Forbes ranks NMSU 13th in the nation among the best colleges for helping minorities to succeed in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education ranks NMSU among the top 100 undergraduate degree producers in four categories. In the American Indian Bachelor's--All Disciplines combined category, NMSU ranks 18th, an 8% increase in total degrees awarded from the previous year.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education places NMSU among the top 100 graduate degree producers in 20 categories of study. We made the top 25 in eight of the 20 categories in which we were ranked.
The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education ranks NMSU 23rd out of 100 colleges/universities in bachelor’s degrees conferred on Hispanics.
The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education places NMSU 29th out of 100 colleges/universities in awarding master degrees to Hispanics.

National Recognition

Washington Monthly places us in the top 150 among "national universities," a jump of 53 spots from 2010. Rankings are based largely on recruiting and graduating low-income students, producing cutting-edge research and encouraging students to give something back to their country.
Washington Monthly ranks NMSU-Grants at number 16 among the 50 best community colleges in the nation. Criteria include academic challenge, support for learning and graduation rates.
U.S. News and World Report's inaugural edition of Top Online Education Programs 2012 ranks the College of Education's graduate program at 54 in the Student Services and Technology category out of 151 universities ranked. In that same category, our Engineering online graduate program ranks 25.

Our online graduate nursing program places 33 in the Faculty Credentials and Training category in U.S. News and World Report's 2012 edition of Top Online Education Program rankings.
NMSU holds a place in the top two-thirds of institutions of higher education in Forbes' America's Best Colleges. Criteria include quality of teaching, great career prospects, graduation rates and low levels of debt upon graduation.
GI Jobs magazine lists NMSU in its 2012 Military Friendly Schools guide for "welcoming military veterans and enhancing their experience as students."
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education places NMSU among the top 100 undergraduate and graduate degree producers for minority students.
StateUniversity.com ranks us in the top 34% of public universities nationwide.

Leadership in Research

NMSU has established interdisciplinary research clusters that build on institutional strengths and respond to local, regional, and national needs in areas such as natural resource sustainability, information sciences and security, space and aerospace programs, biosciences, and border-related programs (such as health, education, and economic development).

In 2010 fiscal year, NMSU's external awards totaled more than $198.5 million, a 28% increase over FY 2009. Research expenditures were also at an all-time high at $167 million. NMSU consistently ranks in the top 110 institutions in the nation by research expenditures.

Our Minority Access to Research Careers, a research training support activity of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, prepares minority students for research careers and helps to increase the number and skills of scientists from underrepresented minority groups who are engaged in biomedical research.

Our Physical Science Laboratory (PSL), working with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, developed a signal-jamming apparatus that keeps improvised explosive devices from detonating. Working with the Federal Aviation Authority, PSL has established unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) flight test center facility. PSL has also helped NASA’s balloon program break records in achieving height and flight duration.

NMSU's Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station have been cited as exceeding expectations in research and public service by the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education.

Serving through Outreach

NMSU is one of only two universities in the nation to reach the platinum (highest) level of service to NASA's Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program, which makes the expertise of corporate and university researchers available to small businesses.

The Arrowhead Center assists entrepreneurs by identifying markets, verifying new technologies, writing business plans and locating financing.

The College of Engineering’s Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development is helping communities remove arsenic from drinking water.

The College of Education’s Gadsden Math Initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, is helping students in elementary and middle schools understand and build math concepts, thereby raising test scores.

The State is Our Campus

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