What share of students in New Mexico are proficient in math?

In 2024, 14% of eighth graders in New Mexico public schools were at or above NAEP Proficient in mathematics (the lowest among the 50 states and DC) and 19% in reading, compared with 21% and 23% in 2019 (national public 2024: 27% and 29%).

Education in New Mexico, United States: official figures

New Mexico did not report a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for 2021-22 to the U.S. Department of Education; its most recent rate in the NCES table is 76.6% for 2020-21 (U.S. that year: 86.1%), against 75.1% in 2018-19.

NAEP fourth-grade reading score

201

2024

NAEP eighth-grade mathematics score

256

2024

Current spending per pupil, public schools

$17,664

FY2024

Public school enrollment

311,719

Fall 2023

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

31.8%

2024

How do students in New Mexico score in grade 4 reading?

Public school students in New Mexico averaged 201 in fourth-grade reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the lowest among the 50 states and DC, down from 208 in 2019 (national public: 214, 219 in 2019). 20% scored at or above Proficient and 53% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in New Mexico score in grade 8 reading?

Public school students in New Mexico averaged 245 in eighth-grade reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the lowest among the 50 states and DC, down from 252 in 2019 (national public: 257, 262 in 2019). 19% scored at or above Proficient and 46% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in New Mexico score in grade 4 math?

Public school students in New Mexico averaged 224 in fourth-grade mathematics on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the lowest among the 50 states and DC, down from 231 in 2019 (national public: 237, 240 in 2019). 23% scored at or above Proficient and 38% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in New Mexico score in grade 8 math?

Public school students in New Mexico averaged 256 in eighth-grade mathematics on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the lowest among the 50 states and DC, down from 269 in 2019 (national public: 272, 281 in 2019). 14% scored at or above Proficient and 58% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How much does New Mexico spend per student?

Public school systems in New Mexico spent $17,664 per pupil on current operations in fiscal year 2024, 21st highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $17,619), according to the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Is school spending per pupil in New Mexico going up?

Current spending per pupil in New Mexico rose from $10,177 in fiscal 2019 to $17,664 in fiscal 2024, up 73.6% before inflation (U.S.: up 33.6%); the change on fiscal 2023 was up 12.6%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What does New Mexico spend school money on?

Of the $17,664 spent per pupil in New Mexico in fiscal 2024, $10,068 went on instruction and $6,814 on support services; salaries and wages came to $9,772 per pupil and employee benefits $3,726.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Where does school funding in New Mexico come from?

Public school systems in New Mexico received $6.8 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024: 19.7% from the federal government, 63.6% from the state and 16.7% from local sources such as property taxes (U.S.: 11.6%, 45.2% and 43.2%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does New Mexico spend on public schools in total?

Total spending by public school systems in New Mexico was $6.2 billion in fiscal 2024, of which $5.1 billion was current spending and $974.66 million capital outlay on buildings and equipment; the systems owed $2.3 billion in debt at the end of the year.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many students are in public schools in New Mexico?

311,719 pupils were enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in New Mexico in fall 2023, down 5.9% on fall 2019 (331,206) and down 8.1% on fall 2013; nationally enrollment was down 2.5% since 2019.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

What is the student-teacher ratio in New Mexico?

Public schools in New Mexico had 21,572 full-time-equivalent teachers in fall 2022, about 14.6 pupils per teacher, 22nd most among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 15.4; New Mexico in fall 2019: 15.2).

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

What percentage of people in New Mexico have a college degree?

31.8% of adults aged 25 and over in New Mexico, about 472,000 people, held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2024; 10th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 36.8%). That is up 1.7 percentage points on 2021 (30.1%), according to the American Community Survey.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in New Mexico have a graduate degree?

In 2024, 14.0% of adults 25 and over in New Mexico had a graduate or professional degree and 8.7% an associate degree as their highest qualification (U.S.: 14.7% and 8.8%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many adults in New Mexico did not finish high school?

87.9% of adults 25 and over in New Mexico had at least a high school diploma or equivalent in 2024, leaving 12.1% without one; that share is 4th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 10.1%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How New Mexico compares with other states

NAEP fourth-grade reading, average score (2024)

New Mexico ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP fourth-grade reading, average score
45	District of Columbia	209
46	Arizona	208
47	Oregon	207
48	Oklahoma	207
49	West Virginia	206
50	Alaska	202
51	New Mexico	201

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP eighth-grade reading, average score (2024)

New Mexico ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP eighth-grade reading, average score
45	District of Columbia	251
46	Alabama	250
47	Oklahoma	249
48	Delaware	249
49	West Virginia	247
50	Alaska	246
51	New Mexico	245

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP fourth-grade mathematics, average score (2024)

New Mexico ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP fourth-grade mathematics, average score
45	Arizona	232
46	West Virginia	232
47	District of Columbia	231
48	Arkansas	230
49	Oregon	229
50	Alaska	226
51	New Mexico	224

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP eighth-grade mathematics, average score (2024)

New Mexico ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP eighth-grade mathematics, average score
45	Oklahoma	264
46	Alaska	264
47	Delaware	263
48	Alabama	262
49	District of Columbia	262
50	West Virginia	261
51	New Mexico	256

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Eighth graders at or above NAEP Proficient in mathematics (2024)

New Mexico ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Public school students

Rank	Region	Eighth graders at or above NAEP Proficient in mathematics
45	District of Columbia	20.1%
46	Arkansas	19.8%
47	Delaware	19.3%
48	Alabama	18.4%
49	West Virginia	17.8%
50	Oklahoma	17.4%
51	New Mexico	13.9%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Fourth graders below NAEP Basic in reading (2024)

New Mexico ranks 1 of 51, highest first. Public school students

Rank	Region	Fourth graders below NAEP Basic in reading
1	New Mexico	53.1%
2	Alaska	52.6%
3	Oregon	48.3%
4	District of Columbia	48.0%
5	West Virginia	47.4%
6	Arizona	46.5%
7	Oklahoma	46.4%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Current spending per pupil, public schools (FY2024)

New Mexico ranks 21 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau Annual Survey of School System Finances

Rank	Region	Current spending per pupil, public schools
18	Washington	$18,564
19	Michigan	$18,314
20	Oregon	$18,083
21	New Mexico	$17,664
22	Ohio	$17,257
23	Virginia	$17,104
24	North Dakota	$17,102

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Change in current spending per pupil since FY2019 (FY2019-FY2024)

New Mexico ranks 1 of 51, highest first. Current dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Rank	Region	Change in current spending per pupil since FY2019
1	New Mexico	+73.6%
2	Nevada	+58.5%
3	California	+48.1%
4	Hawaii	+48.0%
5	Oregon	+45.2%
6	Colorado	+44.2%
7	Michigan	+43.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Share of public school revenue from local sources (FY2024)

New Mexico ranks 47 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau

Rank	Region	Share of public school revenue from local sources
44	North Carolina	25.5%
45	Alaska	23.8%
46	Idaho	20.9%
47	New Mexico	16.7%
48	Nevada	16.3%
49	Arkansas	16.0%
50	Vermont	2.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Pupils per teacher, public schools (Fall 2022)

New Mexico ranks 22 of 51, highest first. Common Core of Data

Rank	Region	Pupils per teacher, public schools
19	Tennessee	15.3
20	Kentucky	15.3
21	Texas	14.8
22	New Mexico	14.6
23	Georgia	14.4
24	Maryland	14.3
25	Hawaii	14.2

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Change in public school enrollment, fall 2019 to fall 2023 (2019-2023)

New Mexico ranks 46 of 51, highest first. Common Core of Data

Rank	Region	Change in public school enrollment, fall 2019 to fall 2023
43	Colorado	-5.2%
44	Rhode Island	-5.2%
45	New York	-5.9%
46	New Mexico	-5.9%
47	New Hampshire	-6.1%
48	Oregon	-6.2%
49	Mississippi	-6.3%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Adults 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher (2024)

New Mexico ranks 42 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey 1-year estimates

Rank	Region	Adults 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher
39	Tennessee	32.4%
40	Wyoming	32.3%
41	Iowa	32.1%
42	New Mexico	31.8%
43	Indiana	30.7%
44	Alabama	29.9%
45	Oklahoma	29.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Adults 25 and over without a high school diploma or equivalent (2024)

New Mexico ranks 4 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey 1-year estimates

Rank	Region	Adults 25 and over without a high school diploma or equivalent
1	California	15.2%
2	Texas	13.3%
3	Nevada	12.3%
4	New Mexico	12.1%
5	New York	12.0%
6	Mississippi	12.0%
7	Louisiana	11.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

More on New Mexico: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · the United States

Sources

National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 219.46: Public high school 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), by selected student characteristics and state, 2011-12 through 2021-22, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1913b92e5e75…)
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Educational attainment for the population 25 years and over (B15003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c933281d2c2…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): Digest of Education Statistics 2024, Table 203.20: Enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by state, fall 1990 through fall 2023 (Common Core of Data), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8e370b60d62a…)
U.S. Census Bureau: 2024 Annual Survey of School System Finances: summary tables (Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data, fiscal year 2024), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 848133174f29…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP mathematics grade 4, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 913ed194a3d5…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP mathematics grade 8, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7dc207d5418d…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP reading grade 4, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7da857933d83…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP reading grade 8, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 790de8a24822…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 208.40: Public elementary and secondary teachers, enrollment, and pupil/teacher ratios, by state, fall 2000 through fall 2022 (Common Core of Data), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c15568f58c4c…)

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