Best Aviation Management Schools Near Las Cruces, NM (2026)

Las Cruces, New Mexico is home to about 112,612 residents. Median household income is $55,176 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New Mexico, the top-earning aviation management-related role is Air Traffic Controllers at a median $148,550 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Aviation Management Schools to Las Cruces

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer aviation management programs near Las Cruces, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Las Cruces city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Las Cruces. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score โ€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, NM 189.9 miles from Las Cruces
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,869
Avg net price $4,621/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 125

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus

Portales, NM 236.3 miles from Las Cruces
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,550
Avg net price $4,904/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all New Mexico schools on the New Mexico aviation management page.


Aviation Management Wages Near Las Cruces

Las Cruces is part of the Las Cruces, NM metro area (BLS area code 29740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Mexico statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $136,990 NM statewide $151,874
Commercial Pilots $97,920 NM statewide $108,559
Air Traffic Controllers $148,550 NM statewide $164,690
Airfield Operations Specialists $69,090 NM statewide $76,596
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $83,190 Las Cruces, NM $92,228
Logisticians $79,620 Las Cruces, NM $88,271
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $72,760 NM statewide $80,665
Flight Attendants N/A NM statewide

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Las Cruces at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 112,612 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,176 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Las Cruces-Area Cities With Aviation Management Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying aviation management roles near Las Cruces?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying aviation management-related roles near Las Cruces are: Air Traffic Controllers ($148,550), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($136,990), Commercial Pilots ($97,920). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Mexico statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in El Paso instead of Las Cruces?

El Paso, TX is 39.2 miles from Las Cruces and has its own set of local aviation management programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Las Cruces an affordable place to study aviation management?

Las Cruces’s median household income of $55,176 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Las Cruces while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Mexico public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Aviation Management Programs

Other Programs Available in Las Cruces

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Las Cruces:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.