RN Programs in New Mexico
New Mexico is a great place to start a career as a registered nurse (RN) because there is consistently a severe nursing shortage that has overwhelmed the state for many years. RN programs in New Mexico have to turn down qualified nursing students because there is just not enough nursing facility to teach them.
RN schools in New Mexico are hard to get into; nevertheless, students who are accepted are able to find work quickly. New Mexico RN programs are constantly struggling to meet the demand for nurses in the state, and potential students should not get discouraged if they are wait-listed.
Registered Nurses (RNs) provide routine care, emergency treatment, and take care of patients in schools, doctor’s offices, clinics, and in many different settings. Being an RN is an exciting and rewarding career. There are two ways to become an RN. One way is to complete a two-year Associate Degree, and the other way is by completing a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Graduating from either program qualifies the graduate to take the national exam that leads to licensure.
RN Licensure in New Mexico
Students who graduate from an accredited RN program may apply for licensure in New Mexico. They must take the NCLEX-RN and pass it before their license is issued.
New Mexico RN Registry
New Mexico Board of Nursing
6301 Indian School Road NE
Suite 710
Albuquerque, NM 87110
RN Jobs and Salary in New Mexico
Registered nurses in New Mexico make an average wage of $30.55 per hour and $63,550 per year. The most in-demand nursing jobs in New Mexico are concentrated in its more populated areas, like Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and in Eastern New Mexico. Qualified Registered nurses are needed to fill every type of RN position across the state.
The following list is of some of the largest employers of registered nurses in New Mexico:
Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Espanola
Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, Santa Fe
Community Health Systems, Santa Fe
Core Medical Group, Los Alamos
Soliant Health, Santa Fe
Strategic Healthcare Staffing, Santa Fe
Fresenius Medical Care, Santa Fe
Spectrum Healthcare Resources, Espanola
AMI Healthcare, Inc., Santa Fe
Maxim Healthcare Services, Santa Fe
RN Programs in New Mexico
Each RN program has its own requirements for admission. Applicants are encouraged to apply about one year in advance. The following RN programs lead to an Associate Degree in Nursing. Most of these programs take two years to complete.
Santa Fe Community College
Nursing Department
6401 Richards Avenue
Santa Fe, NM 87508
This RN program leads to an Associate Degree in Nursing. Students must first be accepted into the college and meet all admission requirements. They may then apply for admission to the Nursing Program. Students must maintain a 2.75 grade point average for non-nursing courses. All nursing courses must also be 76% or better.
San Juan College
Department of Nursing
4601 College Blvd.
Farmington, NM 87402
Future students must submit their application and take a placement test to see which courses they will be placed in. Attending an orientation session is required before registering for classes.
Western New Mexico University
School of Nursing
P.O. Box 680
Silver City, NM 88062
Applicants must meet with an admissions counselor to plan their courses and schedule at the university.
University of New Mexico-Gallup
Department of Nursing
200 College Road
Gallup, NM 87301
Approximately 28 students are accepted into the RN program each January and August. Prerequisite courses must be completed at the time of application to the program. The Test of Essential Academic Skills from Assessment Technologies Institute must be completed.
New Mexico State University Alamogordo
Department of Nursing
2400 N. Scenic Drive
Alamogordo, NM 88310
This two-year program has a limited entry and only accepts a certain number of students. Pre-nursing courses must be completed before being admitted to the RN program.
Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell
Division of Health
P.O. Box 6000
Roswell, NM 88202-6000
Enrollment to the RN program is limited. Students must enroll in the university first, and then to the RN program.
Breckinridge School of Nursing at
ITT Technical Institute
School of Nursing
5100 Masthead Street NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Applicants must have graduated from high school or have a GED. They must also meet with a representative of the college and pass an admissions test. If an applicant has taken the SAT exam, a minimum score of 800 is expected or a score of 17 on the ACT. Students must also arrange a tour of the school before being admitted to the program.
University of New Mexico-Taos
Department of Nursing
1157 County Road #110
Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557
Applicants must work with an academic advisor to set their schedules and required courses. A high school diploma or GED is required, plus students must completed prerequisite courses with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher. They must also be computer literate.
University of New Mexico
Nursing Education
280 La Entrada
Los Lunas, NM 87031
Applicants are encouraged to have completed college preparatory classes in high school. They must have at least a 2.50 grade point average from high school. In addition, they must take the ACT and score at least 22 on it or the SAT and score at least 1080.
Navajo Technical College
Department of Nursing
P.O. Box 849
Crownpoint, NM 87313
Students must take a placement test to determine which prerequisite courses are required before entering the RN program.
New Mexico Junior College
Department of Nursing
5317 Lovington Highway
Hobbs, NM 88240
Applicants must meet with a counselor and take a placement exam.
The following RN programs take four years to complete. They lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
University of New Mexico
College of Nursing
MSC09 5350
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
They must have at least a 2.50 grade point average from high school. In addition, they must take the ACT and score at least 22 on it or the SAT and score at least 1080.
Those who do not have the prerequisite courses must take them before being admitted to the RN program.
Grand Canyon University
Department of Nursing
5901 Harper NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Applicants may be accepted without prerequisite courses, but these will need to be completed while a minimum grade point average is maintained. This does not guarantee acceptance into the RN program.
New Mexico State University
School of Nursing
MSC3185 Box 30001
Las Cruces, NM 88003-80001
Students must meet admission requirement for the university and for the RN program.
For reviews and a full list of RN programs in the state, please visit Nursing Schools in New Mexico.