(The Center Square) – College and university enrollment has increased in New Mexico, according to data released by the Higher Education Department this week, though the 110,000 students is still well below the 140,000 achieved in 2012.
The governor’s office said the increase is due to the state’s investments in higher education.
Over 110,000 New Mexicans are attending career training certificates, associate, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees at state public and tribal colleges and universities. It is an increase of 2.3% over last year. Over 11,000 New Mexicans are pursuing higher ed for the first time as full-time students.
“As the tuition-free-college capital of the United States, New Mexico is setting the bar for what it looks like when states support working families, build up the workforce, and grow the economy,” New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a press release. “Investing in our young professionals is investing in our future.”
To that end, the state has committed more than $140 million in 2023 and 2024 towards the scholarship programs the governor touts, part of a decade-long increase in annual spending, but the results are not clear.
New Mexico’s college attainment rate is 42nd in the nation. New Mexico students have higher loan default rates than the national average. And in recent years, the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred are up only 2%. Three percent for PhDs and no change for master’s degrees.
In short, the Legislative Finance Committee wrote in August, “As financial aid grants … per student have … grown in recent years, the number of students completing their degree and certificate programs has been below expected levels based on funding and research benchmarks. The gap between expected and actual credential completion in New Mexico, given growing funding levels, signals a need to improve …”
Acting Higher Education Secretary Patricia Trujillo said the state is committed to making higher ed a reality for more residents.
“While the rest of the country grapples with questions about college affordability and access, particularly in the wake of recent Supreme Court decisions, New Mexico stands apart as a state dedicated to opportunity,” Trujillo said in the release. “Every student walking through the doors of our college and university campuses holds the key to our state’s future. We are committed to ensuring they make it to graduation day, into the workforce, and contribute to thriving communities.”
New Mexico enacted the Opportunity Scholarship Act in 2022. Since then, 6,700 more students have been enrolled, a 7% increase over the last two years. The program provides scholarships for over 36,000 students per semester, according to the New Mexico Higher Education Department.
Before the Opportunity Scholarship, the state faced an enrollment decline. However, since its implementation, enrollment has steadily increased.
Navajo Technical University and Northern New Mexico College are two of the biggest benefactors of the program. They have seen year-over-year enrollment increases at 14.8% and 12%, respectively.
Plus, New Mexico State University’s fully online campus – NMSU Global – added 2,100 new students, a 32.8% increase.
“With the Opportunity Scholarship, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has taken bold steps to ensure that higher education is within reach for all its residents, particularly those in rural areas who face unique challenges. In a world where college costs are skyrocketing, New Mexico stands out as a model of success. Enrollment numbers are continuing to go up, and it looks as though they aren’t stopping,” Maureen Hoyler, Immediate Past President of the Council for Opportunity in Education, said.
