Online Classes are Affordable
Online tuition at a glance
- One simple rate. Online courses are billed at regular WNMU tuition and fees for your residency and level, plus an online course fee of $30 per undergraduate credit hour or $40 per graduate credit hour.
- Textbooks included. Through WNMU|ACCESS, your required course materials are ready on day one and can be covered by financial aid.
- Free tuition for many New Mexicans. The New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship can cover up to 100% of tuition and required fees for eligible residents in 100% online undergraduate programs.
- Help paying. Financial aid, military benefits, employer tuition assistance and a monthly payment plan are all available to online students.
Undergraduate Online
Undergraduate online tuition and fees for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027:
Rates are the official Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 tuition and mandatory fees from the Cashier’s Office. Totals do not include the WNMU Access course-materials fee ($26.66 per credit hour), which covers required textbooks, or any course lab or program fees. Summer rates are listed on the Cashier’s Office page. Tuition and fees are approved each year by the Board of Regents and may change.
View the complete tuition and fee schedule and ways to save.
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 6 credit hours | $1,972.68 | $1,972.68 |
| Online fee ($30/credit hour) | $180.00 | $180.00 |
| Total per semester | $2,152.68 | $2,152.68 |
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 15 credit hours | $4,931.70 | $4,931.70 |
| Online fee ($30/credit hour) | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Total per semester | $5,381.70 | $5,381.70 |
View the complete tuition and fee schedule and ways to save.
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 6 credit hours | $2,493.66 | $2,493.66 |
| Online fee ($30/credit hour) | $180.00 | $180.00 |
| Total per semester | $2,673.66 | $2,673.66 |
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 15 credit hours | $8,985.75 | $8,985.75 |
| Online fee ($30/credit hour) | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Total per semester | $9,435.75 | $9,435.75 |
Graduate Online
Graduate online tuition and fees for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027:
View the complete tuition and fee schedule and ways to save.
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 3 credit hours | $1,031.88 | $1,031.88 |
| Online fee ($40/credit hour) | $120.00 | $120.00 |
| Total per semester | $1,151.88 | $1,151.88 |
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 6 credit hours | $2,063.76 | $2,063.76 |
| Online fee ($40/credit hour) | $240.00 | $240.00 |
| Total per semester | $2,303.76 | $2,303.76 |
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 9 credit hours | $3,095.64 | $3,095.64 |
| Online fee ($40/credit hour) | $360.00 | $360.00 |
| Total per semester | $3,455.64 | $3,455.64 |
View the complete tuition and fee schedule and ways to save.
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 3 credit hours | $1,312.74 | $1,312.74 |
| Online fee ($40/credit hour) | $120.00 | $120.00 |
| Total per semester | $1,432.74 | $1,432.74 |
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 6 credit hours | $2,625.48 | $2,625.48 |
| Online fee ($40/credit hour) | $240.00 | $240.00 |
| Total per semester | $2,865.48 | $2,865.48 |
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees, 9 credit hours | $5,481.45 | $5,481.45 |
| Online fee ($40/credit hour) | $360.00 | $360.00 |
| Total per semester | $5,841.45 | $5,841.45 |
Paying for your online degree
The rates above are your starting point. Many students pay less after financial aid and scholarships. Follow these four steps to find your real cost.
- File the FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens October 1 each year. It is required for WNMU scholarships, and New Mexico residents who file are automatically considered for state aid. File by March 1 for priority consideration.
- Find your scholarships and waivers. See the options below, then browse all the ways to save at WNMU.
- Estimate your cost. The Net Price Calculator estimates your cost after likely grants and scholarships. It is built for full-time, first-time undergraduates and does not include the online fee, so add the per-credit online fee shown above.
- Choose how to pay the rest. Pay in full, set up a payment plan in Mustang Express, or have an employer or agency pay WNMU directly. See how to pay your bill.
New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship
New Mexico residents enrolled in at least 6 credit hours in a certificate, associate or bachelor’s program can have up to 100% of tuition and required fees covered. That includes students who study 100% online, part-time or full-time. There’s no separate application. File the FAFSA and Financial Aid will review your eligibility. Learn about the Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships.
Scholarships for new and transfer students
Incoming freshmen and transfer students can earn WNMU merit scholarship packages. The WNMU Foundation also awards many scholarships through a single online application. See WNMU merit scholarships, deadlines and requirements.
Out-of-state students
WNMU offers a limited number of tuition waivers for students from Arizona, Colorado and El Paso, Texas, and a reduced rate for students from states in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). Waivers are limited and awarded from a priority list, so ask early whether your online program qualifies. Read about non-resident tuition waivers.
Graduate students
Graduate students who file the FAFSA may qualify for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans (up to $20,500 a year), the TEACH Grant and Federal Work-Study. Loans require at least half-time enrollment, which is 5 credits in fall and spring and 3 in summer. Read the full guide to graduate financial aid.
Military and veteran benefits
WNMU’s Office of Veterans Affairs certifies the Post-9/11 and Montgomery GI Bill®, Military Tuition Assistance (TA), Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), and education benefits for survivors and dependents. See every benefit WNMU certifies and your next steps. Active-duty service members using TA can find WNMU’s Department of Defense agreement and approved courses on the DoD MOU page.
Employer tuition assistance
Many employers help pay for college courses that relate to your job. Ask your human resources office what your employer offers. If your employer or another agency pays WNMU directly, submit their contract agreement to the Business Office before the payment deadline, and your balance is covered. If your employer reimburses you instead, pay WNMU by the due date, or use a payment plan, and your employer repays you later.
How to pay your bill
To keep your class schedule, you need to cover your balance by the payment deadline in one of these ways:
- Pay in full by cash, check or card
- Have enough financial aid to cover your charges
- Submit a third-party contract from your employer or a sponsoring agency
- Set up an automated payment plan in your Mustang Express account
The Cashier’s Office lists payment deadlines, the dates each term’s payment plan opens, and the full fee schedule, including lab, program and summer fees.
Questions about cost
Quick answers to the questions online students ask most.
Yes. Online courses are billed at WNMU’s regular tuition and mandatory fee rates for your residency and level. Courses listed as ONLINE in the course schedule also carry an online course fee of $30 per undergraduate credit hour or $40 per graduate credit hour. Some courses have an extra lab or course fee, which is noted in the course schedule.
Yes. Through WNMU|ACCESS, required course materials are included through a per-credit fee and delivered by the first day of class. Digital materials appear in Canvas. Financial aid, including the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, can cover this fee. You can opt out each semester during the opt-out window if you prefer to buy your own books.
Yes. New Mexico residents enrolled in at least 6 credit hours in a certificate, associate or bachelor’s program qualify, whether they study online, in person or hybrid. Graduate programs are not covered. See eligibility details.
Often, yes. The Opportunity Scholarship requires only 6 credit hours, and Pell Grants are prorated by the number of credits you take. Student loans require at least half-time enrollment: 6 credits for undergraduates, or 5 credits in fall and spring (3 in summer) for graduate students. Learn the financial aid basics.
Possibly. WNMU offers a limited number of waivers for students from Arizona, Colorado and El Paso, Texas, and a reduced rate for Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) states. Read about non-resident waivers, then ask Financial Aid whether your online program qualifies.
Set up an automated payment plan through Mustang Express to spread your balance over the semester. If your employer or an agency is paying, submit their contract agreement to the Business Office. See payment plan dates and deadlines.
Get help with costs
Have a question about your bill or your aid? Contact the office that can answer it.
- Financial aid and scholarships: Office of Financial Aid, 575-538-6173
- Bills, payment plans and third-party billing: Cashier’s Office
- GI Bill® and military benefits: Office of Veterans Affairs
- Online classes and programs: Online & Distance Education team