University of the Southwest
University of the Southwest at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
University of the Southwest Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Online MBAs New Mexico
- #2 Best Private Colleges in New Mexico 2026
- #4 Best Grad Schools in New Mexico 2026
- #5 Best Small Colleges in New Mexico
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New Mexico
- #5 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #7 Best Colleges in New Mexico 2026
- #7 Most Affordable Colleges in New Mexico
- #7 New Mexico's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #8 New Mexico's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #10 Online Master's in Public Administration
About University of the Southwest
According to Wikipedia, The University of the Southwest is a private Christian university located in Hobbs, New Mexico. The university was incorporated as College of the Southwest in 1962, although the college had existed for several years prior as a two-year Baptist educational institution.
University of the Southwest Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| 55% | 19% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does University of the Southwest Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $17,582 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $14,695 |
| 30K - 48K | $15,862 |
| 48K - 75K | $16,776 |
| 75K - 110K | $18,989 |
| 110K+ | $20,890 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do University of the Southwest Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former University of the Southwest students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $47,669 a year, and 88% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
University of the Southwest's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 1,353 | 356 | 997 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is University of the Southwest?
University of the Southwest is located at 6610 North Lovington Hwy, Hobbs, NM 88240.
How Safe is University of the Southwest?
Relative to its enrollment, University of the Southwest has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Hobbs has a violent crime rate of 0.79% and a property crime rate of 3.76%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is University of the Southwest Known For?
University of the Southwest is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Religious Studies
- Political Science
- Business
- Sociology
- History
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Communications
- Medical
University of the Southwest's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much University of the Southwest's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
University of the Southwest ranks #1331 in the U.S. and #6212 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #1432 in the U.S. and #6089 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #1629 in the U.S. and #5849 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #1732 in the U.S. and #5231 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #1937 in the U.S. and #6284 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #2115 in the U.S. and #8515 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #2405 in the U.S. and #4953 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #2494 in the U.S. and #9233 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #3096 in the U.S. and #11243 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesUniversity of the Southwest ranks #3933 in the U.S. and #14024 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine Degrees