Albuquerque Public Schools
APS Graduates Aim High
Nearly 80% plan to continue their education, with UNM leading in-state destinations.
They donned caps and gowns, marched across the stage and triumphantly claimed their diplomas during graduation ceremonies that spanned three weeks and 20 schools. But most members of the Albuquerque Public Schools Class of 2025 aren’t done with school just yet.
More than three-fourths of APS graduates are planning to pursue some form of higher education, whether that be a university, community college, trade or fine arts school or an apprenticeship program. That’s according to the 2025 APS Senior Exit Survey, taken by nearly 96% of this year’s 12th-grade students.
This year’s APS graduates earned more than $50 million in scholarships.
“We’re incredibly proud of our graduates and thrilled so many of them are choosing to continue their education,” said APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey. “And I’m excited that many of them will be attending school in New Mexico, like I did.”
Dr. Blakey added that APS is working hard to prepare students for the college or career of their choice.
In all, 78% of respondents are pursuing higher education:
- 2,162, or 48%, plan to attend a four-year college or university.
- 926, or 20.6%, will be attending a two-year junior or community college.
- 392, or 8.7%, are heading to a trade school, fine arts school or apprenticeship program.
- 19, or 0.4%, plan to attend a fire or police academy.
- 10, or 0.2%, will be attending one of our nation’s elite military academies.
- And five, or 0.1%, will attend a real estate academy.
Of those planning to attend a post-secondary institution, nearly 83% will remain in New Mexico, with more than 48% planning to attend the University of New Mexico and another 27% planning to go to Central New Mexico Community College. Rounding out the top five schools for APS graduates are New Mexico State University (5.2%), New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology (1%), and Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, with 0.7%.
So what are the other APS graduates planning to do? Roughly 320, or 7.2% said they’re undecided, and 32, or 0.7% checked “other.”
As for the rest:
- 312, or 6.9%, will be working full-time
- 180, or 4%, will be taking a gap year
- 105, or 2.3%, are headed to the military
- 20 will be participating in religious missionary service
- And 19 are enrolling in Transition Services.