2026 Best Value Education Schools in New Hampshire
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Education Schools
Granite State College tops our 2026 list of the best value education schools in New Hampshire. Granite State College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Manchester. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,724, with out-of-state students paying around $9,284. Students borrow a median of $29,935 to complete the education program here. Soon after graduation, education degree recipients from Granite State College generally make around $55,121. That is a strong return on a $29,935 median debt.
Nashua Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in education, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Nashua, Nashua Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,140 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,390 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for education graduates is $10,608. Early-career education graduates make about $24,074. Set against $10,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in education will find it at Keene State College, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Keene, Keene State College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,784, with out-of-state students paying around $26,840. Students borrow a median of $25,679 to complete the education program here. Education graduates of Keene State College earn a median of $42,238 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Great Bay Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in education, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Portsmouth, Great Bay Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,200, compared with $15,450 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,639 to complete the education program here. Early-career education graduates make about $48,692. Set against $17,639 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Plymouth State University earned it the #5 place for education. Plymouth State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Plymouth. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,626, while out-of-state students pay about $25,566. Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career education graduates make about $45,001. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Nhti Concords Community College earned the #6 position for value in education this year. Located in the town of Concord, Nhti Concords Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,200, while out-of-state students pay about $15,450. Education graduates carry a median of $13,317 in student loans. Soon after graduation, education degree recipients from Nhti Concords Community College generally make around $50,550. Set against $13,317 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of New Hampshire Main Campus landed the #7 spot for education value this year. University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a large public school located in the town of Durham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,202, with out-of-state students paying around $39,852. Students borrow a median of $26,368 to complete the education program here. Early-career education graduates make about $50,040. Set against $26,368 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
River Valley Community College placed #8 among the best values for education. Located in the rural area of Claremont, River Valley Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,940 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,190 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for education graduates is $25,669. Early-career education graduates make about $50,859. Set against $25,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Franklin Pierce University came in at #9 for value in education this year. Franklin Pierce University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Rindge. Students from in state pay about $46,442 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the education program here. Early-career education graduates make about $59,350. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Franklin Pierce University admits about 94% of applicants.
Rivier College ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value education schools. Rivier College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashua. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,488. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the education program here. Soon after graduation, education degree recipients from Rivier College generally make around $43,507. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rivier College admits about 83% of applicants.
New England College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value education schools. New England College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Henniker. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,474. Typical student debt for education graduates is $35,038. Early-career education graduates make about $92,045. That is a strong return on a $35,038 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Southern New Hampshire University earned the #12 position for value in education this year. Located in the suburb of Manchester, Southern New Hampshire University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $17,200 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for education graduates is $26,880. Soon after graduation, education degree recipients from Southern New Hampshire University generally make around $49,350. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 100%.
Saint Anselm College came in at #13 for value in education this year. Set in the suburb of Manchester, Saint Anselm College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,920. Typical student debt for education graduates is $27,000. Education graduates of Saint Anselm College earn a median of $40,836 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Education](/majors/education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
