New Mexico Nursing Colleges & Licenses
Nursing Colleges Search
When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
“We want to provide more maternal health care providers for our community, and many of our communities have underrepresented minorities…I am very happy that our university is continuing on the path to serve those who are in our state.”
Felina Ortiz, DNP, Associate Professor, University of New Mexico
New Mexico faces several challenges found in many parts of the country, including a shortage of nurses. In September 2024, the New Mexico Political Report noted there were 8,800 open nursing positions in the state.
There are various factors contributing to this shortage, such as rising healthcare demand, an aging population, retirement of the state’s nursing workforce, job dissatisfaction, and a lack of nursing faculty. Investment in nursing education, the improvement of working conditions, and the introduction of supportive legislation are just three possible solutions.
Hospital stability is another major issue that can impact workforce stability. New Mexico is fairly unique due to its “payer mix.” New Mexico stands out from other states due to the high percentage of income its hospitals derive from Medicaid. Such a high reliance on federal funds puts hospitals at greater financial risk when Medicaid cannot fully pay hospitals for patient care costs.
There is, nonetheless, good news: the state’s recent enactment of the Healthcare Delivery and Access Act (2024) provides a source of federal Medicaid matching dollars. This new source of funding may prove particularly helpful in stabilizing the operations of rural hospitals, which often face conditions that make sustainable operations quite difficult.
New Mexico’s diverse and aging population and the state’s critical nursing shortage can be welcomed as sources of opportunity for recently graduated nursing professionals now entering the workforce.
Read on to discover New Mexico’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, salary expectations, and licensing requirements for nursing careers in this state, as well as the perspective of an expert from the University of New Mexico.
Featured Online Nursing Programs
Meet the Expert: Felina Ortiz, DNP
Dr. Felina Ortiz is a clinician educator, associate professor, and a nurse-midwife specializing in women’s health and newborn care at the University of New Mexico (UNM) College of Nursing. She is an activist for women’s rights, including reproductive justice. She specializes in working with culturally diverse families and is an advocate for marginalized populations. She believes in holistic, traditional care and is respectful of others’ spiritual and cultural beliefs.
Dr. Ortiz holds a DNP from New Mexico State University, an MSN from UNM, a BSN from the University of Utah, and an ASN from Weber State University.
Please note that this 2025 interview has been edited for length and clarity.
NursingColleges.com: Dr. Ortiz, I want to start by thanking you for making the time to speak with me today. It’s a great pleasure to chat with people like yourself.
Your UNM profile describes you as an advocate for marginalized populations. How is the phrase “marginalized population” generally understood? Browsing online, one definition I found was that marginalized communities refer to groups of people who experience social and or political exclusion or discrimination based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and disability.
Dr. Ortiz: Thank you for that question. I define it similarly to the definition you offered, namely, as people living on the margin. Marginalized people are those who do not live where the resources or attention are directed but instead in a peripheral area. Based on my experience, the definition mainly has to do with race, but it is also connected to poverty and communities that are under-resourced.
NursingColleges.com: Your biography makes note of your own personal experiences overcoming barriers, as well as your dedication to being an activist. Would you share some from your own formative experiences that led you to choose the midwifery profession?
Dr. Ortiz: Thank you. I will start out with going to college. I’m a first-generation college graduate. I come from a very large family. I have over 30 aunts and uncles and about 70 first cousins, and I was the first to go to college out of all of them. This was my first barrier I was exposed to.
I attended a pathway program at the University of Utah focused on exposing communities of color to academia. I remember being very young and being in an anatomy class and studying with another Latina classmate. We were learning about the reproductive system. She reached over to me and told me she didn’t know about the uterus, and she had a child of her own! She said she had always thought that babies grew in the stomach because that’s how we would refer to the part of the body that would be visibly big when women were pregnant. She said she had always wondered why a baby doesn’t get mixed up with the food.
I couldn’t believe that people have gone through pregnancies but didn’t know their bodies enough to understand what was happening to them during their pregnancy. This was one of my experiences that pushed me into midwifery.
The other thing was birth itself. I had two children by the time I decided to pursue midwifery. Birth is a beautiful, magical thing. I believe in the importance of birth and the importance of the birth process being as gentle and natural as possible. Once I got into midwifery, I realized that the scope and impact of a midwife here in the United States can extend from menstruation or menarche, all the way up to the rest of a person’s life.
I came from a very low socioeconomic status. My family, like I said, did not teach me about college, but they did teach me about hard work and the importance of working and being part of your family. Having an experience of where my family utilized the WIC program and understanding how these programs operate made a difference in our lives.
Going through academia and making a difference for people was also important. I’ve been a faculty member since 2011 here at UNM, and I’ve always seen myself as a bridge between the community and academia as well as a voice and a person working within systems to help represent people who don’t necessarily see themselves entering academia to train for a profession.
I say this because I’ve graduated from four different nursing institutions in two different states. I never had the opportunity to learn from a faculty member of color. Though I’ve had lots of champions and mentors who have helped me get to where I’m at, I think it’s important that students get the opportunity to learn from somebody who looks like them, who speaks like them, and who values what their own families or norms are.
NursingColleges.com: I appreciate what you have shared. What you said about representation is so important. When a person sees themselves mirrored in the people who are training them, it can create a greater sense that what they are pursuing is truly possible.
The next question I want to ask you focuses on maternal health. As you might know, Searchlight New Mexico, a source of independent investigative journalism, has described the state as having a maternal health crisis. They note that one in three counties in the state is described as having a “maternal health desert.”
Based on your own experience and available research on the subject, what would you say are some of the more effective policy measures that could be implemented to address these health disparities?
Dr. Ortiz: As far as policy measures, there’s a lot we can do. One is to elevate people from within our communities to help them both gain admission to academic institutions and successfully complete their studies. That’s been one of the most important values that I’ve been working towards as a faculty member myself.
The March of Dimes is one of the first institutions to utilize the term “maternal health deserts.” They did this to highlight an area that lacks resources. But what I’ve been taught and hear from our community is that when people speak of such deserts, they are equating a desert to somewhere that has no life or resources. And that is simply not true in New Mexico. Many people choose to live in New Mexico in areas where their families are. Many people define home and community as where their families are.
Going back to policy, one of the most important things that has happened in my career happened in 2023. The Human Resource Service Administration (HRSA) offered a maternal care grant. This grant offers lots of money to support nurse-midwifery education in under-resourced and marginalized communities. Our institution, the University of New Mexico, was one of the recipients of this grant. By bringing in more resources to our communities, we build trust and empower our communities to grow.
NursingColleges.com: There is a long history of midwifery among the native peoples living in what is today New Mexico. I would like you to talk about what efforts the University of New Mexico and the state are taking to support the midwifery profession and ensure continued access to care for underserved communities.
Dr. Ortiz: I think the important thing is that our university’s mission and values align with the College of Nursing’s mission and values.
We want to provide more maternal health care providers for our community, and many of our communities have underrepresented minorities. New Mexico is one of five states in which the majority of the population is people of color.
I am very happy that our university is continuing on the path to serve those who are in our state. And they have been supportive in continuing the grant. I will continue this work as long as this federal grant money is available and the University allows me to do so.
The grant itself is about three goals. The first goal is to increase the midwifery workforce and diversify it. Diversity is important because we know culturally congruent care results in better outcomes.
The second goal is to improve our nursing curriculum to better serve maternal health. That includes maternal mental health. We’ve done a lot with this money to enhance training for our students. For example, we have offered advanced life support training to help our students if and when they come and serve rural communities and are needed in obstetrical emergencies. We’ve also included an OSCE on sexual assault with the mental health nurse practitioner program and our midwifery program. [The students from these programs] work together to demonstrate the process of taking a history from somebody who has just experienced a sexual assault. This is really helpful for our students because this is one thing they’re going to see once they begin working as midwives.
The third goal is about strengthening our community partnerships. We can’t grow midwives without our preceptors. That’s one type of community resource. We can’t advocate for women without partnering with our action groups and our community organizers. So that is what the grant was about.
The grant we received is called the Maternity Care Nursing Workforce Expansion (MatCare) Program from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). When we wrote the grant proposal, we titled our grant AMOR, which is the Spanish word for love. AMOR stands for Advancing Midwifery Outcomes and Resiliency.
We utilized grant funding to educate the community about midwifery, to broaden the pool of people who want to apply to an academic midwifery program, and to make sure students are successful in their studies once they are admitted. We help students with their certification exam by learning how to build their test-taking scores. Our certification exam is very difficult, and not everybody who graduates from their nurse-midwifery education program passes the exam.
We’re expecting to have the grant money up until 2027, and we hope to receive continued funding thereafter.
NursingColleges.com: Thank you and I wish you all the best with your continued work in the midwifery program at the University of New Mexico. If you have any final comments or anything you’d like to share at the end of the interview, I welcome you to share.
Dr. Ortiz: Something that’s important to acknowledge is that, right now, classes for many years have been six to eight students. The last couple of years have been smaller than that because of the challenge of people going to school for different reasons.
We’re in an application process right now, and we’re hoping to be a cohort of 10 students. That is our limitation only because of clinical sites. The more we could grow midwifery services, the more we could train midwives because we’ll have more clinical sites. That’s something that I’m starting to see the results of our work in the grant, even though we’re just a little over the first year into it.
Accredited Undergraduate Nursing Programs in New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM), known as the state’s flagship institution, is an exemplary model of New Mexico’s higher education standards. UNM is both nationally and internationally recognized for its nursing education programs. The student body is also recognized as one of the most diverse in the whole country. UNM is noteworthy for being the only Research I University in New Mexico. A UNM BSN is well respected and can open many future career pathways.
UNM offers two BSN degree programs: a traditional pre-licensure BSN program and an online RN-to-BSN. The BSN curriculum follows the common nursing curriculum developed by the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium. The pre-licensure program is designed for students who have never been licensed and seek to begin careers in nursing.
Pre-licensure students can choose from one of two campuses and have three track options: direct-entry, the BSN dual degree, and the accelerated second degree. The BSN dual degree program is especially suited for students who wish to remain in their local community and complete their studies at a community college or branch campus setting. The fully online RN-to-BSN program is for licensed nurses who wish to advance their careers through additional education. RN-BSN students complete 30 credits of coursework, composed of courses of eight weeks in length.
- Location: Albuquerque, NM
- Duration: Twenty months to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The New Mexico State University (NMSU) School of Nursing offers three options to obtain a BSN degree: the traditional four-year BSN, and two options for students with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline. These are the Roadrunner and Pathway second-degree options. The BSN Roadrunner option is a fast-paced program in which students complete a BSN in 19 months over five consecutive semesters. Entry is offered in the summer semester only. The BSN Pathway option is also five semesters long but only features coursework as well as admission during spring and fall semesters.
BSN graduates are well prepared to take the NCLEX-RN exam to secure their RN license. The NMSU School of Nursing has also partnered with campuses in Grants and Alamogordo in order to offer BSN degree programming at both locations. Students at these locations receive instruction via videoconferencing and complete their clinical experience requirement at local healthcare facilities with the support of NMSU School of Nursing instructors. The second-degree Roadrunner program is not offered at either of these two campuses.
- Location: Las Cruces, NM; other campuses in Grants and Alamogordo, NM
- Duration: Nineteen months to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Western New Mexico University
Western New Mexico University (WNMU), also known as the Applied Liberal Arts and Sciences University in New Mexico, provides an education designed around questions of truth, justice, a quality life, and the meaning of being human.
The mission of the WNMU School of Nursing and Kinesiology is to improve the quality of life for diverse populations through both healthcare and health promotion. WNMU’s nursing degree programs seek to instill values of community, scholarship, practice and community service. WNMU offers two BSN degree programs: the pre-licensure BSN and the RN-to-BSN programs.
The pre-licensure track is an in-person program. This BSN track is a member of the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium. The curriculum is designed in alignment with the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Students complete various supporting coursework in English composition, psychology, biology, chemistry, and mathematics, and 59 credits of nursing core coursework.
The RN to BSN track is a fully online program first offered in 2005. The curriculum focuses on contemporary nursing topics. Applicants must have a current RN license and meet other requirements to be deemed eligible for admission. Credit for required lower division nursing coursework may be granted upon completing an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or diploma in nursing. As students of this track have nursing experience and at least some existing formal academic education upon entry, the time commitment for this program is smaller than the pre-licensure program. This program can be completed in just two years.
- Location: Silver City, NM
- Duration: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
University of New Mexico – Taos
The University of New Mexico Taos (UNM-Taos) is one of the newest branches of the University of New Mexico system. Despite its small size, its growth rate secured it a place among the top 25 community colleges in the nation in the early 2010s. A contemporary curriculum, qualified faculty, and beautiful setting make this an appealing option for individuals living in this part of New Mexico. With a small student-to-faculty ratio, UNM-Taos offers the educational value typical of a private college but at a cost typical of community colleges.
The UNM-Taos offers a dual degree program in association with the UNM School of Nursing. Students can typically complete the 65 credits of nursing coursework within five semesters. Students must satisfactorily complete prerequisite coursework to be eligible for dual program admission. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded both an associate’s degree in nursing from UNM-Taos and a bachelor of science in nursing from the UNM College of Nursing. Students must complete a total of 122 credit hours. New student cohorts are admitted each autumn.
- Location: Ranchos de Taos, NM
- Duration: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Accredited Graduate Nursing Programs in New Mexico
The University of New Mexico College of Nursing was noted in the undergraduate nursing degree program listing as being the state of New Mexico’s flagship institution. It is thus only natural that UNM would also have a robust collection of graduate-level nursing degree programs.
UNM has historically offered RNs several master of science in nursing (MSN) degree tracks: adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, nurse administrator, nursing education, nurse midwifery, and pediatric nurse practitioner.
UNM is not currently accepting applications to MSN programs, as of April 2025. Prospective students are advised to check the UNM website to remain informed as to when this may change.
- Location: Albuquerque, NM
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
New Mexico State University (NMSU), founded in 1888, is New Mexico’s oldest public university. NMSU holds many distinctions that attest to the quality of its education programs. NMSU is ranked among the top 100 institutions for Hispanic students by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. It is also designated as a Military Friendly® School. NMSU offers reduced tuition rates for active-duty service members, veterans, and dependents. In addition, NMSU is also defined as a center for first-generation student success in recognition of its efforts to improve learning experiences and outcomes for first-generation college students.
The NMSU School of Nursing offers nursing professionals several pathways to obtain an MSN degree: a direct entry option ending in a general MSN degree, an RN-to-MSN, and an MSN program with a focus in leadership and administration.
While application requirements vary somewhat across programs, all tracks will have academic performance requirements. Additional requirements may include CPR certification and a current, unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse.
The direct entry path is also known as the Roadrunner program. This program is for students with bachelor’s degrees in a non-nursing field and who seek to become registered nurses. Graduates are awarded both a BSN and a general MSN. The RN to MSN path is for diploma and associate’s degree (ADN) trained registered nurses. Students complete undergraduate nursing bridge coursework before being permitted to pursue MSN-level courses.
Finally, NMSU offers the only MSN degree in leadership and administration in New Mexico. This fully online 32-credit program prepares graduates for middle- and top-level administrative roles.
- Location: Las Cruces, NM
- Duration: Two to three years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) is noteworthy for offering affordable tuition. Its MSN is among the most affordable in the entire country.
ENMU’s online MSN program specifically targets nurses who wish to become nurse educators. The 36-credit curriculum is designed to inspire motivation and initiative and also features flexibility so students can study at their own pace. Students complete 12 credit hours in master core courses and 24 credits in the education emphasis.
Graduates are prepared to become nursing instructors in associate’s and baccalaureate degree nursing programs in New Mexico and elsewhere.
As nurse educators, their responsibilities may include evaluating and developing nursing curricula, applying leadership principles, making evidence-based nursing practice decisions, instructing nursing students, and formulating health and education policy conducive to improving health care delivery.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the National League for Nursing (NLN) Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam. The online delivery model allows students to both complete their education while working and also remain in their own communities and thereby not lose personal and professional connections critical to their own success and well-being.
- Location: Portales, NM
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Nursing School Accreditation
Nursing school accreditation is a voluntary but important step programs take to demonstrate that nurses who complete their program have received a quality education. Two groups typically grant this approval. These are the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
In New Mexico, nursing program graduates obtain their licenses through the New Mexico Board of Nursing (NMBON). NMBON licenses a variety of nurses including registered nurses, practical nurses, certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and more. Applicants must fulfill a number of criteria to be eligible for licensure. Among the criteria are satisfactory completion of an appropriately accredited nursing program, passing a criminal background check, completing the New Mexico State Board of Nursing application for licensure, and passing the NCLEX-RN exam.
It is also possible for nurses licensed in New Mexico to hold a multistate license. Details on the application process for such a license can be found on the NMBON website. Nursing program graduates intent to practice in another state should also review the NMBON site for information on how to secure a license elsewhere.
How Much Do Nurses Make in New Mexico?
These numbers represent data from the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics from May 2024—the most recent data available as of April 2025.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries
| United States | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 632,430 | 1,850 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $64,150 | $56,690 |
| 10th percentile | $47,960 | $37,980 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $62,340 | $60,760 |
| 90th percentile | $80,510 | $75,640 |
Registered Nurse Salaries
| United States | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 3,282,010 | 17,510 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $98,430 | $94,360 |
| 10th percentile | $66,030 | $70,630 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $93,600 | $88,260 |
| 90th percentile | $135,320 | $121,200 |
Nurse Anesthetist Salaries
| United States | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 50,350 | Data unavailable |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $231,700 | $212,860 |
| 10th percentile | $137,230 | $103,710 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $223,210 | $214,810 |
| 90th percentile | >$239,200 | >$239,200 |
Nurse Midwife Salaries
| United States | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 8,280 | 130 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $128,110 | $91,050 |
| 10th percentile | $74,670 | $37,290 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $128,790 | $118,650 |
| 90th percentile | $177,040 | $144,930 |
Nurse Practitioner Salaries
| United States | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 307,390 | 1,870 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $132,000 | $136,620 |
| 10th percentile | $97,960 | $80,890 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $129,210 | $138,440 |
| 90th percentile | $169,950 | $187,840 |
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure in New Mexico
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Board of Nursing | New Mexico requirements for LPN licenses include:
| LPNs in New Mexico must renew their licenses every two years. The requirements include earning 30 contact hours, submitting an application for renewal, and paying the fee |
Registered Nurse (RN) Licensure in New Mexico
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Board of Nursing |
New Mexico requirement for RN licenses include:
|
RNs in New Mexico are required to renew their licenses every two years. To do so, they must obtain 30 contact hours, submit an application for renewal, and pay the $110 fee |
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Licensure in New Mexico
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
|
New Mexico CNS license applicants must meet the following requirements:
| A CNS license in New Mexico needs to be renewed every two years. There must be documentation of continued education and maintain national certification. The continuing education requirements are: 30 contact hours for RN licensure, five contact hours related to the CNS’s practice, five contact hours of non-cancer pain management, and 10 contact hours in pharmacology related to the CNS’s practice. Renewals cost $100 |
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Licensure in New Mexico
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Department of Health | In New Mexico, CNMs are independent practitioners educated in the disciplines of midwifery and nursing. To be licensed as a CNM, the following is required:
|
A CNM license in New Mexico expires on the same date as the expiration of the registered nurse license. To renew, applicants must submit:
|
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Licensure in New Mexico
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
|
New Mexico licenses Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). Applicants must meet the following requirements:
|
An APRN license in New Mexico needs to be renewed every two years. There must be documentation of continued education and maintain national certification. The continuing education requirements are 30 contact hours for RN licensure, five contact hours related to the NP’s practice, five contact hours of non-cancer pain management, and ten contact hours in pharmacology related to the NP’s practice. Renewals cost $110 |
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CNRA) Licensure in New Mexico
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
|
To be eligible for a CRNA license in the state of New Mexico, applicants must meet the following requirements:
|
The APRN/CRNA license in New Mexico needs to be renewed every two years. There must be documentation of recertification by NBCRNA. |
Bernd Geels
WriterBernd Geels is a Berlin, Germany-based freelance writer and artist. He holds an undergraduate degree in atmospheric science and two graduate degrees. He completed his most recent graduate degree in international environmental studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2011. He is interested in healthcare, climate change, marine conservation, indigenous science and refugee issues. You can reach him directly at [email protected].