Quad

Head-to-head

Central State
Western New Mexico

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Central State's grants cover 80% of its full price on average, vs. 41% at Western New Mexico

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    Western New Mexico graduates 16 pts more of its students than Central State (44% vs. 28%)

    Graduation rate
  3. 3

    Central State costs about $10.9K less per year on average than Western New Mexico ($4,527 vs. $15,411, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  4. 4

    Central State has 9 pts more Pell recipients than Western New Mexico (53% vs. 43%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  5. 5

    Western New Mexico has 8 pts more first-gen students than Central State (48% vs. 40%)

    First-generation students
  6. 6

    Western New Mexico grads earn $5.8K more ten years out than Central State's ($39,095 vs. $33,267)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Central State admits 99%; Western New Mexico doesn't report an acceptance rate.

Acceptance rate
Central State99%
Western New MexicoNot reported
Quad's selectivity
  • Central StateOpen
  • Western New MexicoNot rated
SAT middle 50%
Central StateTest-blind
Western New MexicoNot reported
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Central StateGPA, school record, and prep program required
  • Western New MexicoNot reported

Who's on each campus

Central State is a bit larger than Western New Mexico (2,620 vs. 2,026 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Central State2.6K
Western New Mexico2K
Pell Grant share
Central State53%
Western New Mexico43%

Majors and faculty

Business/Commerce leads at Central State, and Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching at Western New Mexico.

Students per faculty member
Central State16 to 1
Western New Mexico12 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Central StateBusiness/Commerce, General34%
  • Western New MexicoKindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching13%

What each costs

Central State costs about $10.9K less a year than Western New Mexico on average, and its grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Central State$4.5K
Western New Mexico$15.4K
Aid generosity
Central State80%
Western New Mexico41%

What each pays off

Western New Mexico's former students earn more, a median $39.1K ten years after enrolling.

Median earnings, 10 years
Central State$33.3K
Western New Mexico$39.1K
Graduation rate
Central State28%
Western New Mexico44%

How each has changed

Applications fell at Central State, which got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Central StateShrinking−53%
  • Western New MexicoNot reported
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why