Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University logo
#4537 / #1182
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
Public university in Silver City, New Mexico, U.S.

Western New Mexico University at a Glance

U.S. influence rank
#1182
Tuition and fees (2025–26)
$7,891
Graduation rate
44%
Undergraduates (fall 2024)
2,026

Reviewed by , 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

Western New Mexico University Featured Rankings

About Western New Mexico University

According to Wikipedia, Western New Mexico University is a public university in Silver City, New Mexico. It was founded in 1893. History Founded in the Territory of New Mexico on February 11, 1893 as the New Mexico Normal School, the school began to offer classes on September 3, 1894, in a rented Presbyterian church. On June 2, 1893, the nascent board of regents accepted of Town of Silver City land situated on a hillside overlooking the town donated by Regent, and Mayor Town of Silver City, Colonel John W. Fleming. In November 1896, the school's first permanent building, Old Main, was dedicated, and within twenty years enrollment had reached nearly 500 students.

Western New Mexico University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Retention RateGraduation Rate
58%44%

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 Western New Mexico University Cost To Attend?

Tuition and fees (in-state)
$7,891

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 Western New Mexico University Graduates Make?

Ten years after starting college, former Western New Mexico University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $41,452 a year, and 83% 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.

Western New Mexico University's Demographics

Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
4,5453,3111,234

Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.

Where is Western New Mexico University?

Western New Mexico University is located at 1000 W. College Ave, Silver City, NM 88061.

How Safe is Western New Mexico University?

Like every college that receives federal student aid, Western New Mexico University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.

Relative to its enrollment, Western New Mexico University has a violent crime rate of 0.03% and a property crime rate of 0.06%. Silver City has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property (including theft) crime rate of less than 0.01%. 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 Western New Mexico University Known For?

Western New Mexico University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:

Western New Mexico University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Each rank compares how much Western New Mexico University'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

Social Work
#608
World Rank
#610
Historical Rank
#253
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #253 in the U.S. and #608 worldwide for influence in Social Work.

social-work Degrees
Criminal Justice
#838
World Rank
#842
Historical Rank
#449
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #449 in the U.S. and #838 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.

criminal-justice Degrees
Sociology
#1994
World Rank
#2003
Historical Rank
#580
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #580 in the U.S. and #1994 worldwide for influence in Sociology.

sociology Degrees
Nursing
#1550
World Rank
#1552
Historical Rank
#595
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #595 in the U.S. and #1550 worldwide for influence in Nursing.

nursing Degrees
Biology
#2593
World Rank
#2620
Historical Rank
#600
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #600 in the U.S. and #2593 worldwide for influence in Biology.

biology Degrees
Chemistry
#3338
World Rank
#3355
Historical Rank
#727
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #727 in the U.S. and #3338 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.

chemistry Degrees
Psychology
#2164
World Rank
#2178
Historical Rank
#828
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #828 in the U.S. and #2164 worldwide for influence in Psychology.

psychology Degrees
Education
#3754
World Rank
#3763
Historical Rank
#867
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #867 in the U.S. and #3754 worldwide for influence in Education.

education Degrees
Business
#3589
World Rank
#3590
Historical Rank
#954
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #954 in the U.S. and #3589 worldwide for influence in Business.

business Degrees
History
#4309
World Rank
#4320
Historical Rank
#1345
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #1345 in the U.S. and #4309 worldwide for influence in History.

history Degrees
Political Science
#5922
World Rank
#5930
Historical Rank
#1385
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #1385 in the U.S. and #5922 worldwide for influence in Political Science.

political-science Degrees
Medical
#5694
World Rank
#5695
Historical Rank
#1652
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #1652 in the U.S. and #5694 worldwide for influence in Medical.

medicine Degrees
Mathematics
#8103
World Rank
#8128
Historical Rank
#2229
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #2229 in the U.S. and #8103 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.

math Degrees
Literature
#7293
World Rank
#7318
Historical Rank
#2304
USA Rank

Western New Mexico University ranks #2304 in the U.S. and #7293 worldwide for influence in Literature.

literature Degrees

Who Are Western New Mexico University's Most Influential Alumni?

Jerry D. Thompson
Jerry D. Thompson
An American historian and professor.
Ken Brewer
An American poet, scholar.