New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Published tuition$8,147 - $25,271
Online programsYes
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 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Las Cruces. Distances are calculated from Las Cruces city center.
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.
New Mexico State University-Dona Ana
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
The University of Texas at El Paso
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
El Paso Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
New Mexico State University-Alamogordo
Published tuition$2,616 - $13,482
Online programsYes
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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $83,310 | Las Cruces, NM | $92,361 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $61,670 | Las Cruces, NM | $68,370 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $129,370 | NM statewide | $143,426 |
| Nurse Midwife | $123,350 | NM statewide | $136,752 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $131,990 | Las Cruces, NM | $146,330 |
| Nursing Assistant | $37,400 | Las 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
| 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 |
| Nursing-related employment in Doña Ana County | 4,697 workers, 57 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Las Cruces-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Socorro, TX – 56.8 mi away (33,277 pop)
- Alamogordo, NM – 61.6 mi away (32,782 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Las Cruces, NM?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Las Cruces. The closest is New Mexico State University-Main Campus in Las Cruces, NM (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is New Mexico State University-Alamogordo (64.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
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
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in New Mexico
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Las Cruces
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Las Cruces:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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Data verified: June 11, 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.