New Mexico Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 33 counties.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Avg Graduation Rate

79.0%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$7,957

Avg School Score

33/100

Total Schools

888

150 districts

State Overview

About Schools in New Mexico

This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.

New Mexico Struggles Below National Education Benchmarks

New Mexico's 79% average graduation rate trails the national average of 87% by a significant margin. The state spends an average of $7,957 per pupil, which is roughly 38% less than the national benchmark of $13,000 per student.

Massive Performance Gaps Across 33 Counties

Educational outcomes vary wildly across the state's 33 counties, ranging from a high graduation rate of 93% in Los Alamos to a low of 67.6% in Rio Arriba. While the state average score sits near the national median at 49.8, individual county scores fluctuate between 60.2 and 41.9.

Low Spending Correlates With Lagging Outcomes

With a statewide average investment of $7,957 per student, New Mexico struggles to match national graduation benchmarks. Resource distribution remains uneven, as Catron County invests $13,747 per student while Valencia County operates on just $5,895.

Rural Counties Lead in Overall Performance Scores

Catron County takes the top spot with a score of 60.2, supported by the state's highest per-pupil investment. De Baca and Harding counties follow closely, with De Baca achieving an impressive 90% graduation rate despite more modest spending.

State Score Context

How New Mexico Counties Are Distributed

33 of 33 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.

Scored county coverage

Counties with complete enough data for the composite score

100%

Higher measured signal

Score range 70-100

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

Highest Measured School Signals

De Baca County

69/100

School score

Los Alamos County

67/100

School score

Mora County

65/100

School score

Guadalupe County

54/100

School score

Catron County

51/100

School score

Lowest Measured School Signals

#1 lowest

Valencia County

10/100

School score

#2 lowest

Curry County

10/100

School score

#3 lowest

Eddy County

13/100

School score

#4 lowest

Santa Fe County

16/100

School score

#5 lowest

Otero County

19/100

School score

All New Mexico Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for New Mexico.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
De Baca County Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $9,900	69/100	90.0%	$9,900
Los Alamos County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $7,785	67/100	93.0%	$7,785
Mora County Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $9,159	65/100	90.0%	$9,159
Guadalupe County Graduation 82.5% Per pupil $10,823	54/100	82.5%	$10,823
Catron County Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $13,747	51/100	75.0%	$13,747
Harding County Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $13,463	51/100	75.0%	$13,463
Sierra County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,909	48/100	87.0%	$7,909
Hidalgo County Graduation 82.3% Per pupil $9,044	47/100	82.3%	$9,044
Colfax County Graduation 81.7% Per pupil $8,809	45/100	81.7%	$8,809
Union County Graduation 81.9% Per pupil $8,571	43/100	81.9%	$8,571
Roosevelt County Graduation 79.6% Per pupil $7,998	37/100	79.6%	$7,998
Quay County Graduation 74.7% Per pupil $8,341	36/100	74.7%	$8,341
Lincoln County Graduation 81.7% Per pupil $7,744	36/100	81.7%	$7,744
McKinley County Graduation 78.4% Per pupil $7,785	33/100	78.4%	$7,785
Grant County Graduation 83.4% Per pupil $7,337	33/100	83.4%	$7,337
Taos County Graduation 75.1% Per pupil $7,571	30/100	75.1%	$7,571
Cibola County Graduation 70.0% Per pupil $7,707	29/100	70.0%	$7,707
Lea County Graduation 84.7% Per pupil $6,838	28/100	84.7%	$6,838
Sandoval County Graduation 84.9% Per pupil $6,773	28/100	84.9%	$6,773
Socorro County Graduation 70.7% Per pupil $7,545	27/100	70.7%	$7,545
Rio Arriba County Graduation 67.6% Per pupil $7,350	24/100	67.6%	$7,350
Doña Ana County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $6,852	24/100	82.0%	$6,852
San Juan County Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $7,169	24/100	75.0%	$7,169
Luna County Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $7,130	23/100	75.0%	$7,130
Bernalillo County Graduation 74.1% Per pupil $7,173	23/100	74.1%	$7,173
Torrance County Graduation 79.9% Per pupil $6,801	22/100	79.9%	$6,801
San Miguel County Graduation 79.3% Per pupil $6,799	21/100	79.3%	$6,799
Chaves County Graduation 73.9% Per pupil $6,942	20/100	73.9%	$6,942
Otero County Graduation 80.9% Per pupil $6,492	19/100	80.9%	$6,492
Santa Fe County Graduation 74.4% Per pupil $6,619	16/100	74.4%	$6,619
Eddy County Graduation 73.0% Per pupil $6,354	13/100	73.0%	$6,354
Curry County Graduation 71.3% Per pupil $6,167	10/100	71.3%	$6,167
Valencia County Graduation 77.7% Per pupil $5,895	10/100	77.7%	$5,895

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in New Mexico

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About New Mexico Schools

Which New Mexico counties have the highest graduation rates?

Los Alamos County (93.0%), De Baca County (90.0%), and Mora County (90.0%) currently lead New Mexico among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in New Mexico?

Across New Mexico counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,957. The highest current county values are Catron County ($13,747), Harding County ($13,463), and Guadalupe County ($10,823). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

Which New Mexico county has the strongest measured school score?

De Baca County has the highest school score in New Mexico with a score of 69/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in New Mexico?

The average high school graduation rate across New Mexico counties is 79.0%, based on NCES data.

Which county in New Mexico has the lowest school score?

Valencia County has the lowest school score in New Mexico with a score of 10/100. School scores reflect available graduation-rate and per-pupil spending signals.

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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