GED In New Mexico

Last Updated on April 10, 2024.

In New Mexico, students looking to earn their GED diplomas can take the four GED or five HiSET subtests online or at a New Mexico testing center.

New Mexico uses two options for high school equivalency testing: the GED and the HiSET exams. Registration for the exams must be done online through hiset.org or GED.com.

The GED® is fully computer-based, while the HiSET® is available both on paper and on a computer. The HiSET exam can be taken online as well.

To see if online video instruction is right for you, Best GED Classes offers free GED online classes and practice tests.

If our teaching approach with free GED practice tests and short video lessons appeals to you, continue with Onsego GED Prep, a full-scale, accredited GED program that generously provides the free support available on this website.

The GED has four separate subtests in

• Mathematics
• English Language
• Science
• Social Studies

The HiSET comes with individual reading and writing subtests, so five overall. All HiSET and GED subtests can be taken separately and in any wished order.

There are many locations in New Mexico where prep classes are set up to support you in your efforts to become ready for the GED or HiSET exam.

The GED and HiSET tests are not for everybody. If you already have a high school or equivalent diploma or when you are signed up for a school program, you do not qualify.

GED Requirements in New Mexico

• In New Mexico, the minimum age to qualify for the GED or HiSET exam is 16.
• For applicants 16 and 17 years old, additional requirements count.
• Underage applicants must, among other requirements, submit a permission form signed by their local school district and hold permission from a parent or guardian.
• You do NOT need to be a New Mexico resident.
• You never received a high school or equivalent diploma
• You are not enrolled in another school program.
• You are not required to first take the GED Ready® practice test or the HiSET practice test, except when the exams are taken online.
• New Mexico requires you no longer to complete the entire GED or HiSET battery within a period of three years.

Reduced Fees

The New Mexico GED exam regularly costs $144, but GED test-takers only need to pay $26 per individual GED test ($104 for all four tests). They also are able to take two re-takes at no additional charge. This only applies when you take the GED exam at a testing facility! When taken online, the New Mexico GED test costs $36 per subtest, so $144 in total.

New FREE GED Voucher Program

Additionally, the New Mexico Department of Higher Education now pays fully for the GED testing costs via a new Voucher Program. Eligible candidates can apply for these Vouchers on the New Mexico Higher Education Department website.

GED Prep Class Sites in New Mexico

You can prepare for the GED test by studying online. You can also choose to go to a traditional GED prep class near you. Click on your nearest city to discover all the prep locations in your area.

• Albuquerque
• Farmington
• Gallup
• Hobbs
• Las Cruces
• Roswell
• Santa Fe

New Mexico GED Testing Centers

Alamo
Navajo HiSET Testing Ctr – Hwy 169 – Alamo Navajo Reservation – Alamo – NM 87825 – Ph: (575) 854.2609
Alamogordo
New Mexico State University (GED, HiSET) – 2400 N Scenic Dr | Alamogordo | NM 88310 – Ph (575) 439.3690
Albuquerque
Central NM Comm Coll (GED) – 5600 Eagle Rock Ave – Albuquerque | NM 87113 – Ph: (505) 224.5263
Central NM Comm Coll (HiSET, GED) – 900 University Blvd SE – Albuquerque | NM 87106 – Ph: (505) 224.3243
Central NM Comm Coll (GED, HiSET) – 10549 Universe Boulevard NW – Albuquerque – NM 87114 – Ph: (505) 224.5382
Central NM Comm Coll (HiSET) – 4700 Morris St NE, Albuquerque | NM 87111, Ph: (505) 224.5761 or (505) 224.4000
Youth Development, Inc (HiSET) – 6306 Central Ave NW – Albuquerque | NM 87105 – Ph: (505) 352.3469 or 505.948.0737
Anthony
Dona Ana Comm. College (HiSET) – 1700 O’Hara Rd – Anthony – NM 88021 – Ph: (575) 528.7294/7244
Carlsbad
New Mexico State University (HiSET) – 1500 University Dr – Carlsbad – NM 88220 – Ph (575) 234.9322
Clovis
Clovis Comm College (GED) – 417 Schepps Blvd – Clovis | NM 88101 – Ph: (575) 769.4088
Deming
Western New Mexico University (HiSET) – 2300 E Pine St – Deming | NM 88030 – Ph: (575) 546.6556
Espanola
Northern NM Comm Coll (HiSET) – 921 Paseo De Onate – Espanola | NM 87532 – Ph: (505) 747.2154
Farmington
San Juan College (HiSET, GED) – 4601 College Blvd – Farmington – NM 87402 – Ph: (505) 566.3139
Gallup
UNM-Main Campus (HiSET) – 705 Gurley Ave – Gallup – NM 87301 – Ph: (505) 863.7613/7500
Grants
New Mexico State University (HiSET, GED) – 1500 N 3rd St – Grants – NM 87020 – Ph: (505) 287.6691
Hobbs
New Mexico Jr Coll (GED) – 5317 Lovington Hwy – Hobbs | NM 88240 – Ph: (575) 392.4510
Las Cruces
Dona Ana Comm Coll (HiSET, GED) – 2800 N Sonoma Ranch Blvd – Las Cruces | NM 88011 – Ph: (575) 528.7294 or (575)527.7569
Las Vegas
NM Highlands University (HiSET) – 800 University Ave (Ste 130) – Las Vegas – NM 87701 – Ph: (505) 454.3252 or (505) 426.2083
Los Lunas
The University of New Mexico (GED, HiSET) – 280 La Entrada Rd – Los Lunas | NM 87031 – Ph: (505) 925.8560
Ranchos de Taos
The University of New Mexico (GED, HiSET) – 1157 County Rd 110 – Ranchos de Taos – NM 87557 – Ph: (575) 737.3695/6215
Rio Rancho
Central NM Comm Coll (GED, HiSET) – 2601 Campus Blvd NE – Rio Rancho – NM 87144 – Ph: (505) 224.4912
Roswell
Eastern New Mexico University (GED, HiSET) – 52 University Blvd – Roswell – NM 88202 – Ph: (575) 624.7227
Ruidoso
Eastern New Mexico University (GED, HiSET) – 709 Mechem Dr – Ruidoso | NM 88345 – Ph: (505) 315.1120
Santa Fe
Community College (GED, HiSET) – 6401 Richards Ave – Santa Fe | NM 87508 – Ph: (505) 428.1625/1508
Shiprock
Dine College (HiSET) – 1228 Yucca Dr – Shiprock, NM 87420 – Ph: (505) 368.3629
Silver City
Western New Mexico University (GED, HiSET) – 1000 W College Ave – Silver City | NM 88062 – Ph: (505) 538.6134
Truth or Consequences
Western NM University (HiSET) – 601 Sunset St – Truth or Consequences | NM 87901 – Ph: (575) 894.9050
Tucumcari
Mesalands Comm Coll (HiSET) – 911 S 10th St – Tucumcari – NM 88401 – Ph: (575) 461.4413
Yahtahey
Sage XL (HiSET) – 641 N Hwy 491 – Yahtahey – NM 87375 – Ph: (505) 728.0844 or (505) 368.3564
Zuni
Adobe HiSET Test Center – 1202 State Hwy 53 – Zuni – NM 87327 – Ph: (505) 782.5998

Online GED or HiSET

So now, the HiSET or GED exams can be taken over the Internet. It used to be that the tests could be taken exclusively at official testing centers, but now that has changed.

For more information about the online HiSET exam, check out this page: HiSET online proctored testing, and to learn more about online GED testing, go to this post: The online GED exam.

Voucher Program

Please note that New Mexico’s Higher Education Department has launched a Voucher Program to remove the financial barrier that keeps so many residents from taking the GED exam. They want to help you reach your goals by picking up the tab of your HiSET or GED cost.

New Mexico GED Cost

In New Mexico, the four GED subtests cost $26 each when taken at a GED testing facility. If you fail a GED subtest, there is no waiting time before you are allowed to retake that subject test. If you fail that subtest three times, however, you must wait 60 days before you can take that subtest again.

If you take the GED exam online, each of the four sub-exams will set you back $36. So the entire online GED battery costs $144 and that does not include the cost of four GED Ready tests!

To qualify for taking the GED test online, you first need to attain “green” zone (likely to pass) results on the GED Ready practice test. Since you need to buy four of these tests (one for each GED subject test at $6.99 each), available on the website GED.com, that will be an additional cost of $28.

Please note that New Mexico has launched a new FREE GED Voucher Program that allows qualifying candidates to earn a GED or HiSET diploma for FREE! 

New Mexico HiSET Cost

The HiSET exam has five subtests (modules) that each cost $10.75 when delivered on a computer and $15 when delivered in a paper-based format.

So, the overall HiSET exam cost is $53.75 or $75. Two free retests per subject are included, and during one calendar year, you can take the exam up to three times.

To qualify for taking the HiSET exam online, the “Remote Proctored (R.P.) HiSET Test,” you’ll first need to reach passing scores on the HiSET OPT (Official Practice Test). It goes without saying that paper-and-pencil HiSET testing is not possible if you take the exam online.

GED Scoring

The GED tests are scored on a 100-200 scale, and the scoring is as follows:

• Below Passing Score: 100-144 points
• Passing Score (high school equivalency): 145-164 points
• College Ready Score: 165-174 points
• College Ready + Credit Score: 175-200 points

HiSET Scoring

The five HiSET subtests are scored on a 0 to 20 scale, and students must attain at least an 8-score on each individual subtest. Their essay score must be at least 2 (out of 6), and their overall score must be no less than 45, not including your essay result.

You are not required to take all four GED or five HiSET tests at the same time. You can register and pay per module (test) whenever you are sufficiently prepared.

Free GED Online Prep in New Mexico

• Practice Tests: Math, Social Studies, Language, and Science
• Online GED Classes
• Pre GED Tests

Better Job And Education Options

There are many reasons to go the GED path: your employment options will improve, and by getting the High school Equivalency diploma, you will have the chance to access colleges and universities. Furthermore, you will experience personal development that will allow you to enjoy a better future.

One GED or HiSET Subtest at a Time

You have the option to take one of the four GED or five HiSET subtests (also referred to as modules) at the time you feel sufficiently prepared; no need to take it all in a row! You only need to pay for the subtest(s) you take.

What’s on the GED Exam?

The four GED modules are in the subject areas of Social Studies, Math, Science, and Literacy. Gone are a lot of multiple-choice questions; the GED test is now, for a large part, essay-based, and this way, applicants will become ready to attend courses at university or college successfully.

Students will become better prepared to function properly in the modern-day employment market. The computer-formatted GED exam has other benefits as well: online registration is much easier, and applicants don’t need to show up personally at one of New Mexico’s official testing sites any longer to sit for the test.

Another plus is that now, students can receive their test results immediately after taking the test. In the old situation, they had to wait two or three weeks in anxiety.

Age Requirements

In New Mexico, the minimum age to be eligible for the GED exam is 16, but for 16 and 17-year-olds, additional criteria apply. They must, for instance, submit an underage permission form signed by their local school districts and also have written permission signed by a parent or guardian.

To be able to sit for the GED exam in New Mexico, there is no residency requirement, and the state also doesn’t require GED testers to first partake in a GED prep program or attain satisfactory scores on the official GED Ready test. This applies, however, only to on-site testing.

How to Get Started

You can qualify to enter a GED or HiSET program if you don’t have a high school diploma or similar. If you decide to go for the GED exam, follow these guidelines to get started with your preparation. Contact your nearest GED/HiSET prep site and find out all requirements and regulations and if the lessons are free.

Make sure you will become perfectly prepared. Local libraries and bookstores will be able to supply study materials for your GED/HiSET preparation, and there are many locations in New Mexico where preparation classes are offered. Here, you can find support (often at no cost at all) to become sufficiently prepared.

You can use BestGEDClasses’ video lessons to determine if such an online prep method is a good fit for you. The video lessons and practice tests published here at no cost are courtesy of Onsego GED Prep, a premium, affordable, and full-scale online course recognized by GED Testing Service.

For more information:
New Mexico Higher Education Department
Division of Adult Education
2044 Galisteo Street, Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505-2100
Phone: 505.476.9792

FAQ about GED in New Mexico

How do you get a GED in New Mexico?

To get your GED diploma in New Mexico, you must either pass the four tests of the GED exam or the five tests that are included in the HiSET exam. New Mexico uses two alternative exams to acquire the state’s High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma, the fully computer-based GED and the HiSET exam, which is offered both on paper and on a computer.

What are the New Mexico GED testing requirements?

Both the GED and HiSET offer people who never finished high school the chance to earn an equivalent credential. In New Mexico, HSE testing is open to non-residents as well, and there’s no need to first take a prep course or a qualification practice test. The minimum age in New Mexico is 16, though 16/17-year-olds must meet additional strict requirements.

What is the GED cost in New Mexico?

In New Mexico, the GED exam costs $104.00 when taken at a test facility, whereas online testing costs $144 for the full GED battery plus $28 for four GED Ready practice tests. The HiSET exam costs $53.75 (computer-formatted) or $75 (paper-based), but online testing comes at a higher cost. You have the option to take (and pay for) the GED and HiSET subtests one at a time.

New Mexico’s Department of Higher Education has also launched a new Voucher Program to cover the costs of the GED and HiSET tests. You can learn more about the application process for the GED Vouchers on the website of New Mexico’s Higher Education Department.

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