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Campus-based and Distance Degrees for RNs and LPNs in New Mexico

Grab a Career with Mobility and Earning Potential

When it comes to recruiting talent in the nursing industry many states are behind. In New Mexico the professional nursing shortage is as dire as anywhere else, but the number of licensed RNs and licensed LPNs has risen by a few percentage points in the last few years (1) — good news, in the short term, but those numbers are still overshadowed by a more rapidly rising need for even more nurses.

LPNs and RNs are needed in New Mexico — absolutely the best news you can hear if your career dream is as a nurse. You can find excellent jobs with long-term security at hospitals, as well as other types of patient care facilities. The biggest hospital employers in the state are both located in Albuquerque: Presbyterian Hospital and University of New Mexico Hospital.

Types of Schools for Nurses

Largest number of new nurses entering the New Mexico healthcare market come out of community colleges, which outnumber state colleges and universities. There is a benefit to community college nursing programs: they specialize in the Associates in Nursing degrees. These two-year fast-track programs remain the most popular avenue to nursing anywhere. With your Associates degree you get all the skills you need to provide exemplary patient care, plus you are prepared for your RN licensure. Many experienced nurses actually go on from here later in their careers to add on more advanced degrees, including the very popular RN to BSN and MSN degree or post-grad specializations. The sky's the limit in nursing right now as far as area of specialization.

How an Experienced RN May Boost Career Satisfaction

Among experienced, on-the-job RNs the biggest issue facing the industry is retention, or the alarming turnover rate for mid-career RNs. If this describes you, why not pursue the next level of education? Why not boost your salary and job satisfaction with a nursing specialty like forensics or legal nursing or even the lucrative nursing anesthesia? In rural areas nurse midwives are in great demand and the field offers an uncommon degree of autonomy. Many employers offer reimbursement programs for nurses interested in advancing their degrees.

Salary and Jobs

The coolest thing about nursing is its immunity to economic blight. Jobs are rock solid and career mobility is a big incentive to pursue the career. By far the largest number of nurses in New Mexico are RN licensed. You can do more skill-wise as an RN and you definitely earn more. Compare the average salary for a staff RN in Albuquerque--$50,000 to $63,000 — with that of an LPN in Albuquerque--$33,500 and $40,000.*

For detailed information on state licensure requirements visit the New Mexico Board of Nursing.

New Mexico Nursing Schools Offering Some Online Programs

New Mexico State University
School of Nursing
CCNE Accredited

University of Phoenix
CCNE Accredited

Search our big list of online nursing schools for many more distance education opportunities.

Campus-based Nursing Schools in New Mexico

Albuquerque Public Schools — Albuquerque
Career Enrichment Center Health Occupations
NLNAC Accredited

Central New Mexico Community College — Albuquerque
NLNAC Accredited

Clovis Community College — Clovis
Nursing Department
NLNAC Accredited

Dona Ana Community College — Las Cruces
Division of Health and Public Service
NLNAC Accredited

Eastern New Mexico University
Nursing Department
NLNAC Accredited

New Mexico Junior College — Hobbs
Allied Health
NLNAC Accredited

New Mexico State University — Las Cruces
School of Nursing
CCNE Accredited

New Mexico State University at Carlsbad — Carlsbad
NLNAC Accredited

New Mexico State University-Alamogordo
Department of Nursing
NLNAC Accredited

San Juan College — Farmington
Department of Nursing
NLNAC Accredited

Santa Fe Community College — Santa Fe
NLNAC Accredited

University of New Mexico — Albuquerque
College of Nursing
CCNE Accredited

University of Phoenix
CCNE Accredited

Western New Mexico University — Silver City
Department of Nursing
CCNE, NLNAC Accredited

1 Status of Nursing in New Mexico
2 Salary.com