Best Online Nursing Programs in Las Cruces, NM (2026)

Las Cruces, New Mexico has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $2,616 to $25,271 per year for indexed programs. Las Cruces has a population of about 112,612. 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 the Las Cruces, NM metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Practitioner at a median $131,990 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Las Cruces

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing 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.

#1

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Las Cruces, NM 1.0 miles from Las Cruces BOC Score 50.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,067
Avg net price $8,889/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

New Mexico State University-Dona Ana

Las Cruces, NM 4.6 miles from Las Cruces BOC Score 48.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,067
Avg net price $6,048/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$83,310Las Cruces, NM$92,361
Licensed Practical Nurse$61,670Las Cruces, NM$68,370
Nurse Anesthetist$129,370NM statewide$143,426
Nurse Midwife$123,350NM statewide$136,752
Nurse Practitioner$131,990Las Cruces, NM$146,330
Nursing Assistant$37,400Las Cruces, NM$41,463

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

MetricValueSource
Population112,612Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,176Census 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
Nursing-related employment in Doña Ana County4,697 workers, 57 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Las Cruces-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Las Cruces, NM?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Las Cruces are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Las Cruces?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Las Cruces are: Nurse Practitioner ($131,990), Nurse Anesthetist ($129,370), Nurse Midwife ($123,350). 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 Socorro instead of Las Cruces?

Socorro, TX is 56.8 miles from Las Cruces and has its own set of local nursing 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 nursing?

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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Las Cruces

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

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.