New Mexico State University (NMSU) has been recognized in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, earning placements across several categories for undergraduate, online, and graduate programs.
The university was included on the social mobility list, tied at number 87, which highlights institutions that support students from a variety of backgrounds in achieving academic success. NMSU also received rankings for its undergraduate programs in nursing (tied at 160), computer science (tied at 177), psychology (tied at 196), and business (tied at 254).
“I congratulate all faculty, department heads and deans of those programs that moved up in rankings,” said Lakshmi Reddi, interim provost. “Although U.S. News & World Report ranking criteria are popular and well-known, they do not encompass all the parameters related to student and faculty success. As an R1-designated land-grant university, NMSU offers best value to our students while providing outstanding opportunities to our faculty to excel in research and service endeavors.”
In addition to undergraduate achievements, NMSU was recognized for its online education offerings. The university ranked among the top programs for bachelor’s in psychology (tied at 25), bachelor’s programs for veterans (tied at 46), master’s in criminal justice (tied at 52), overall bachelor’s programs (tied at 84), bachelor’s in business (tied at 68), and online MBA programs (tied at 202).
Graduate program rankings included nursing-anesthesia (tied at 80), social work (tied at 95), English (tied at 120), earth sciences (tied at 124), economics (tied at 126), computer science (tied at 133), fine arts programs (tied at 135), engineering (tied at 145) and public affairs (tied at 144). Several other graduate programs were also recognized nationally.
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings have served as a resource for students and families making decisions about higher education for over forty years. The latest edition assessed more than 1,700 colleges using seventeen different measures focused on academic quality and student outcomes. More information about NMSU’s performance can be found on the official U.S. News & World Report website.
