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Best Community Colleges in Albuquerque: Transfer, Tuition & Programs for 2026

GradeToGrad Editorial Team

March 2, 2026

Compare Albuquerque community colleges with real tuition, earnings, and program data.

Why Community College in Albuquerque?

Albuquerque's community colleges offer an affordable launchpad for higher education and career training. With tuition well below four-year university rates and transfer agreements with state universities, the 2+2 path (2 years at CC, 2 at university) can save thousands while putting you on the same career trajectory.

Community Colleges in Albuquerque

Central New Mexico Community College (Albuquerque)

Tuition: $1,934/year | Enrollment: 15,246 | 6-year earnings: $32,460

Nursing ADN graduates earn $66,822/year.

New Mexico State University-Dona Ana (Las Cruces)

Tuition: $2,322/year | Enrollment: 4,812 | 6-year earnings: $32,960

Nursing ADN graduates earn $64,455/year.

San Juan College (Farmington)

Tuition: $1,790/year | Enrollment: 4,228 | 6-year earnings: $29,329

Nursing ADN graduates earn $63,917/year.

Santa Fe Community College (Santa Fe)

Tuition: $2,145/year | Enrollment: 2,234 | 6-year earnings: $32,097

Nursing ADN graduates earn $60,104/year.

Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus (Roswell)

Tuition: $2,256/year | Enrollment: 1,312 | 6-year earnings: $33,619

Nursing ADN graduates earn $53,245/year.

Clovis Community College (Clovis)

Tuition: $1,472/year | Enrollment: 1,221 | 6-year earnings: $30,567

Nursing ADN graduates earn $50,749/year.

Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque (Albuquerque)

Tuition: N/A/year | Enrollment: 737 | 6-year earnings: $28,599

Nursing ADN graduates earn $62,070/year.

New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell)

Tuition: $6,990/year | Enrollment: 342 | 6-year earnings: $43,034

How to Choose

Priority	Best Fit
Lowest tuition	Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute ($1,095/yr)
Best earnings outcome	New Mexico Military Institute ($43,034 at 6yrs)
Nursing	Check which schools offer ADN programs with clinical rotations
Transfer	Look for schools with articulation agreements to your target university

Transfer Pathways

Check with your target university for specific transfer agreements. Most New Mexico public universities accept credits from in-state community colleges through statewide articulation agreements. Complete your general education core at a CC and transfer as a junior to save significantly on your bachelor's degree.

Financial Aid

Federal Pell Grant — up to $7,395/year, often exceeds full CC tuition
New Mexico state grants — check your state's financial aid office for resident programs
Institutional scholarships — many CCs offer merit and need-based scholarships
Workforce development grants — available for high-demand programs like nursing and skilled trades

Next Steps

Compare Albuquerque community colleges on GradeToGrad — see tuition, programs, and transfer rates.