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2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire

17 Colleges
$49,695 Avg Salary*
49% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Top New Hampshire Colleges ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

After analyzing 17 schools in New Hampshire, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.

Get more details on our ranking methodology.

Customizing Your List

We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.

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One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!

Top Colleges in New Hampshire

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

Our analysis found Dartmouth College to be the best school for overall quality in New Hampshire in this year’s ranking. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 2,220 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. During the early years of their career, graduates from Dartmouth make an average of $91,627 a year.

Read full report on Dartmouth College

2

A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in New Hampshire list means University of New Hampshire - Main Campus is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. UNH is a fairly large public school situated in Durham, New Hampshire. It awarded 4,347 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UNH is $61,997 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

3
SNHU crest
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Southern New Hampshire University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in New Hampshire.Manchester, New Hampshire is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 27,014 students in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from SNHU make an average of $52,024 per year during the early years of their career.

Full Southern New Hampshire University Report

4
St. Anselm College crest
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, New Hampshire

Out of the 17 schools in New Hampshire that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Anselm College landed the #4 spot on the list. St. Anselm College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Manchester, New Hampshire. It awarded 563 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from St. Anselm College make an average of $60,648 a year.

Full Saint Anselm College Report

5
Keene State crest
Keene State College
Keene, New Hampshire

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Keene State College. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. This small public school is located in Keene, New Hampshire, and it awarded 874 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,504 during the early years of their career..

Full Keene State College Report

6

University of New Hampshire at Manchester ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. UNH Manchester is a public institution located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has a small population, and it awarded 189 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,997 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on University of New Hampshire at Manchester

7

Antioch University - New England landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire ranking. Antioch University - New England is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Keene, New Hampshire. It awarded 324 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Antioch University - New England make an average of $41,168 a year.

Full Antioch University - New England Report

8
Rivier crest
Rivier University
Nashua, New Hampshire

Rivier University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. Located in Nashua, New Hampshire, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 593 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rivier is $40,784 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

9
NHTI crest
NHTI-Concord's Community College
Concord, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #9, NHTI-Concord’s Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. NHTI is a public institution located in Concord, New Hampshire. The school has a small population, and it awarded 639 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from NHTI make an average of $39,672 per year during the early years of their career.

Full NHTI-Concord’s Community College Report

10
NH Community Technical College - Claremont crest
River Valley Community College
Claremont, New Hampshire

River Valley Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire ranking.Claremont, New Hampshire is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 173 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from NH Community Technical College - Claremont go into careers with an average salary of $38,752 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

11
Plymouth State crest
Plymouth State University
Plymouth, New Hampshire

Plymouth State University landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire ranking. Plymouth State is a small public school situated in Plymouth, New Hampshire. It awarded 1,188 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, graduates from Plymouth State make an average of $48,110 a year.

Read full report on Plymouth State University

12
NEC crest
New England College
Henniker, New Hampshire

New England College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. New England College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Henniker, New Hampshire that handed out 1,061 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,119 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on New England College

13
Colby - Sawyer crest
Colby - Sawyer College
New London, New Hampshire

Colby - Sawyer College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire ranking. Colby - Sawyer College is a small private not-for-profit school located in New London, New Hampshire that handed out 196 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Colby - Sawyer is $44,780 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Colby - Sawyer College

14
GSC crest
Granite State College
Concord, New Hampshire

Granite State College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Hampshire ranking. Located in Concord, New Hampshire, the small public school awarded 606 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from GSC is $42,509 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

15
Nashua Community College crest
Nashua Community College
Nashua, New Hampshire

Nashua Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire ranking.Nashua, New Hampshire is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 271 students in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Nashua Community College go into careers with an average salary of $38,680 during the early years of their career.

Full Nashua Community College Report

16
Franklin Pierce crest
Franklin Pierce University
Rindge, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #16, Franklin Pierce University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. Located in Rindge, New Hampshire, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 548 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Franklin Pierce go into careers with an average salary of $50,486 during the early years of their career.

Full Franklin Pierce University Report

17
Great Bay Community College crest
Great Bay Community College
Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Great Bay Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Hampshire list. Great Bay Community College is a small public school located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire that handed out 317 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,954 during the early years of their career..

Read full report on Great Bay Community College

Best Colleges in the New England Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 17 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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