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College · Catholic life on campus

New Mexico State University

  • LocationLas Cruces, NM
  • Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 14,779 students

New Mexico State University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

The St. Albert the Great Newman Center serves NMSU students from 2615 S. Solano Dr. in Las Cruces. Its pastor, Fr. Kevin Waymel, is listed on the staff page. The center publishes daily Monday-Friday Mass, three Sunday Masses plus a Saturday vigil, a weekday Mass on campus at the Spiritual Center, Saturday confession with a Wednesday confession time, and weekday adoration. Listed student programs include retreats, Bible studies, and student-led groups.

Mass, confession, and adoration

Confirm with the parish

Mass 6

  • Saturday5:30 PMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center · Saturday vigil.
  • Sunday8:30 AMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center
  • Sunday11:00 AMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center
  • Sunday6:30 PMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center · Student Mass, during the school year.
  • Monday–Friday5:30 PMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center
  • Tuesday12:10 PMSpiritual Center on campus

Confession 2

  • Saturday4:00 PMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center · Runs until 5:00 PM; or by appointment.
  • Wednesday5:30 PMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center · Listed as after the 5:30 PM Mass.

Adoration 1

  • Monday–Friday4:30 PMSt. Albert the Great Newman Center · Runs until 5:30 PM.

Times come only from official parish, chaplaincy, or school pages, and can change with the season. Last verified Oct. 12, 2026.

Sources for these times (3)
  1. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 6:30 pm (During the School Year)”
    A Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses are listed.
    “Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 6:30 pm (During the School Year)”
    A Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses are listed.
    “Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 6:30 pm (During the School Year)”
    A Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses are listed.
    “Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 6:30 pm (During the School Year)”
    A Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses are listed.
    “Monday - Friday: 5:30 pm Tuesday: 12:10 pm (On Campus)”
    Mass is listed Monday through Friday at 5:30 PM, and Tuesday at 12:10 PM on campus.
    “Monday - Friday: 5:30 pm Tuesday: 12:10 pm (On Campus)”
    Mass is listed Monday through Friday at 5:30 PM, and Tuesday at 12:10 PM on campus.
    “Saturdays: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm or by appointment”
    Confession is scheduled Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM or by appointment.
  2. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Wednesday After 5:30 PM Mass For Students”
    Confession is listed on Wednesdays after the 5:30 PM Mass.
  3. Adoration | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/adoration · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Every Weekday from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm”
    Eucharistic adoration is offered every weekday from 4:30 to 5:30 PM.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of New Mexico State University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches1 mi2 mi3 miSaint Albert the Great Newman Center: 0.3 mi1Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine and Parish: 0.9 mi2Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral: 1.5 mi3Saint Genevieve Catholic Church: 2.3 mi4Basilica de San Albino Catholic Church: 2.6 mi5Our Lady of Health Catholic Church: 3.0 mi6St. Albert the Great Newman Center: 0.3 miNew Mexico State University (campus)N2 mi
CampusCatholic centerCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Saint Albert the Great Newman Center — 0.3 mi · 2615 South Solano Drive, Las Cruces
  2. Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine and Parish — 0.9 mi · 3600 Paroquia Street, Las Cruces
  3. Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral — 1.5 mi · 1240 South Espina Street, Las Cruces
  4. Saint Genevieve Catholic Church — 2.3 mi
  5. Basilica de San Albino Catholic Church — 2.6 mi · 2370 Calle de Santiago, Mesilla
  6. Our Lady of Health Catholic Church — 3.0 mi · 1178 North Mesquite Street, Las Cruces

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

ACatholic life on campus: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.

Catholic life on campus

96 of 100 points on what we could document.

  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Welcome to St. Albert the Great Newman Center at NMSU.”
      The St. Albert the Great Newman Center serves NMSU students.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusYes (The center is named as the Newman Center at NMSU and has a church at a published street address.)
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Welcome to St. Albert the Great Newman Center at NMSU.”
      The St. Albert the Great Newman Center serves NMSU students.
      “2615 S. Solano Dr Las Cruces, NM 88005”
      The center's published street address is 2615 S. Solano Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88005.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryFull-time priest chaplain (Fr. Kevin Waymel is listed as pastor of the parish that houses the Newman Center. Fr. Mauricio Bermudez is also listed as priest in residence.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Our Staff | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/our-staff · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Fr. Kevin Waymel Pastor kwaymel@rcdlc.org”
      Fr. Kevin Waymel is listed as pastor, with a published email.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryEvery weekday (5 or more weekdays) (Mass is listed Monday through Friday at 5:30 PM at the center; a Tuesday 12:10 PM Mass is held at the Spiritual Center on campus.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Monday - Friday: 5:30 pm Tuesday: 12:10 pm (On Campus)”
      Mass is listed Monday through Friday at 5:30 PM, and Tuesday at 12:10 PM on campus.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelTwo or more weekend Masses (Saturday vigil at 5:30 PM and three Sunday Masses at the center.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 6:30 pm (During the School Year)”
      A Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses are listed.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryWeekly or more often (Confession is listed Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM and on Wednesdays after the 5:30 PM Mass.)
    Sources (2)
    1. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Saturdays: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm or by appointment”
      Confession is scheduled Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM or by appointment.
    2. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Wednesday After 5:30 PM Mass For Students”
      Confession is listed on Wednesdays after the 5:30 PM Mass.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)Two or more (Bible studies and student-led groups are listed; the center's page on student groups is the source.)
    Sources (2)
    1. Incoming Students | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-here-1 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “through our Bible studies and men’s and women’s groups”
      The center offers Bible studies and men's and women's groups.
    2. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “St. Albert's offers various small groups, including Bible studies and student-led groups.”
      The center offers small groups, including student-led groups.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Two or more kinds (Retreats (Newman @ Nite, Aggie Awakening) and Bible studies or small groups are listed.)
    Sources (2)
    1. Go on Retreat | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/go-on-retreat · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Newman @ Nite is an overnight weekend retreat held right here at the parish”
      Newman @ Nite is an overnight retreat for students.
    2. Incoming Students | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-here-1 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “through our Bible studies and men’s and women’s groups”
      The center offers Bible studies and men's and women's groups.
  • Yes: Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 1 mile of campusComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Partly: Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adoration12 to 19 times a week (17 weekly times documented: 10 Mass, 2 confession, 5 adoration.)Computed from the verified Mass, confession, and adoration times listed on this page (each day a time is offered counts once).

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • Mass is listed every weekday and on weekends at the Newman Center, with a weekday Mass on campus.
    Sources (1)
    1. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Monday - Friday: 5:30 pm Tuesday: 12:10 pm (On Campus)”
      Mass is listed Monday through Friday at 5:30 PM, and Tuesday at 12:10 PM on campus.
      “Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 pm Sunday: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 6:30 pm (During the School Year)”
      A Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses are listed.
  • Confession is scheduled on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and adoration is listed every weekday.
    Sources (3)
    1. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Saturdays: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm or by appointment”
      Confession is scheduled Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM or by appointment.
    2. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Wednesday After 5:30 PM Mass For Students”
      Confession is listed on Wednesdays after the 5:30 PM Mass.
    3. Adoration | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/adoration · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Every Weekday from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm”
      Eucharistic adoration is offered every weekday from 4:30 to 5:30 PM.
  • Retreats and student-led groups are listed for students.
    Sources (2)
    1. Go on Retreat | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/go-on-retreat · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Newman @ Nite is an overnight weekend retreat held right here at the parish”
      Newman @ Nite is an overnight retreat for students.
      “Aggie Awakening is a student-led retreat designed to help new college students encounter the love of Jesus”
      Aggie Awakening is a student-led retreat for new college students.
    2. Mass and Confession | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/new-page-2 · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “St. Albert's offers various small groups, including Bible studies and student-led groups.”
      The center offers small groups, including student-led groups.

Concerns

  • Distance is computed from the published address.
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “2615 S. Solano Dr Las Cruces, NM 88005”
      The center's published street address is 2615 S. Solano Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88005.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

The Catholic center

St. Albert the Great Newman Center

  • Address: 2615 S. Solano Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88005
  • Distance from campus: 0.3 mi (straight line from the campus point in federal IPEDS data)
  • Facilities: church, Spiritual Center (weekday Mass, on campus)

View on map ↗

Source: stalbertnewmancenter.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026, stalbertnewmancenter.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026

Catholic clubs and student life

5 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 0 off campus, 5 location not published

Clubs and groups 1

Liturgy and prayer 2

  • Weekly student Mass and dinner
    Wednesdays after the 5:30 PM Mass
    Student Mass followed by a free meal.
  • Thursday morning Rosary
    Thursday mornings
    Weekly Rosary listed among the center's community groups.

Retreats 2

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (2)
  1. St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Welcome to St. Albert the Great Newman Center at NMSU.”
    The St. Albert the Great Newman Center serves NMSU students.
    “Welcome to St. Albert the Great Newman Center at NMSU.”
    The St. Albert the Great Newman Center serves NMSU students.
    “2615 S. Solano Dr Las Cruces, NM 88005”
    The center's published street address is 2615 S. Solano Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88005.
  2. Our Staff | St. Albert the Great Newman Centerstalbertnewmancenter.org/our-staff · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Fr. Kevin Waymel Pastor kwaymel@rcdlc.org”
    Fr. Kevin Waymel is listed as pastor, with a published email.

Reach out

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Academic Excellence

CAcademic Excellence: Mixed (grade C): 55 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
58 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.55%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.73%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,011 · ACT 20.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,132

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Value and outcomes
Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
12,113
Total students14,779
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$8,889
Cost of attendance (per year)$23,274
Median federal debt at graduation$17,095
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
55%
First-year retention73%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$39,067
Admission rate89%
Students receiving Pell grants38%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1011
SAT reading & writing450–570
SAT math420–540
ACT composite17–24
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 59 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Diocese of Las Cruces

The Most Reverend Peter Baldacchino, Bishop of Las Cruces

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: rcdlc.org, rcdlc.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

Questions families ask

Is New Mexico State University a Catholic college?
No. New Mexico State University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by St. Albert the Great Newman Center.
What is New Mexico State University’s Catholic Life Score?
87 out of 100 (grade A). It measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes, together with academics.
Where is Mass celebrated at New Mexico State University?
Mass is listed at St. Albert the Great Newman Center and Spiritual Center on campus. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.
Is New Mexico State University Compass Recommended?
Yes. New Mexico State University meets the Compass Recommended standard for Catholic life on campus.

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