UNM’s enrollment increases for fifth consecutive year, fall 2026 data show

For the fifth year in a row, enrollment has increased at The University of New Mexico, according to data released for the fall 2026 semester.

Total enrollment at the Albuquerque campus grew to 24,584 for fall 2026, an increase of 2.6% from last year's total of 23,955. Enrollment across all UNM campuses for fall 2026 stands at 29,131, an increase of nearly 3% from last year's 28,285.

UNM welcomed 3,792 first-year students at the Albuquerque campus for fall 2026, which is down slightly from 3,815 last year.

In the last five years, total enrollment in Albuquerque has grown 11.8% (21,982 to 24,584) and across all UNM campuses, it has grown 12.5% (25,890 to 29,131).

Thanks in part to a series of strategic initiatives that focus on student success, a point of pride the last several years has been the progress UNM has made in retaining its students and seeing them through to graduation.

For fall 2026, UNM's third-semester retention rate is 79.0% (up from 76.4% last year), and the six-year graduation rate is 51.1% (down from 54.2% last year).

Third-semester retention is considered significant because studies have shown it is a leading indicator for improvement in graduation rates.

"At a time when the return on investment of a four-year degree is under scrutiny by some, The University of New Mexico continues to demonstrate its value by attracting more students, as well as supporting them to earn a college degree," said Barbara Rodriguez, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. "UNM offers its students something distinctive - an affordable, high-quality education with the power to transform lives, strengthen families and uplift communities. We are proud of the difference our students and graduates make across New Mexico and around the world."

Among the first-year class, some population increases were seen. Asian American students rose from 3.9% of the cohort this year, up from 3.7% in 2025. American Indian students are 5.1% of the incoming cohort this year, rising from 4.0% last year. And while a large percentage of first-year students continue to identify as Hispanic - 52.5% this year - that percentage is slightly lower than 2025's percentage of 54.5%.

Of this fall's first-year students, 83.7% are from New Mexico and 16.3% are from out of state. Of those students who are nonresidents, 2.3% are international, which is down from fall 2025's percentage of 5%.

Fall 2026 branch campus total enrollment stands at 4,547, which 217 higher than fall 2025. UNM-Gallup had a 7.7% increase in students, the only branch campus that reported growth. Broken down by campus, fall 2026 enrollment at each campus is:

• UNM-Gallup: 1,906
• UNM-Los Alamos: 296
• UNM-Taos: 903
• UNM-Valencia: 1,442

For additional information on data, see the Office of Institutional Analytics. For information on enrolling at UNM, visit UNM Admissions.