2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in New Mexico

[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value public health schools.
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2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in New Mexico
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Health Schools
For return on investment in public health, no school beat Central New Mexico Community College this year. Central New Mexico Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Albuquerque. In-state tuition and fees average $2,060, while out-of-state students pay about $8,684. Students borrow a median of $10,112 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of Central New Mexico Community College earn a median of $34,751 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,112 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New Mexico State University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for public health. New Mexico State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the suburb of Las Cruces. In-state tuition and fees average $8,183, while out-of-state students pay about $25,307. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $23,500. Public Health graduates of New Mexico State University Main Campus earn a median of $41,028 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at University Of New Mexico Main Campus, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,140, while out-of-state students pay about $33,060. Public Health graduates carry a median of $19,738 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of New Mexico Main Campus generally make around $69,574. Set against $19,738 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.