2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking is part of that endeavor.
We analyzed 168 colleges and universities across the New England Region to determine which were the best for veterans and active service members. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, and overall quality - to make this determination.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region of the U.S.
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Westfield State University tops this year’s ranking as the best school for veterans in the New England Region . Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,666 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 5,395 students enrolled at Westfield, 216 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,509. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 168 schools in the New England Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, the large public school awarded 8,919 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 31,642 students enrolled at UMass Amherst, 460 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 300 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,069. During this same period, 17 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UMass Amherst does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great veterans ranking, UMass Amherst is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in the New England Region list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Endicott College. It ranked #3 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Endicott is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beverly, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,330 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 118 of the 4,287 students enrolled at Endicott were GI Bill® students, of which 81 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,325. In addition to receiving other benefits, 17 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list means Southern New Hampshire University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Manchester, New Hampshire, the large private not-for-profit school handed out 20,942 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, SNHU supports 134,345 students, and 10,271 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 8,328 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,316. On top of their other funding sources, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list means Quinnipiac University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Hamden, Connecticut is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,983 students in 2019-2020.
Of the 9,746 students enrolled at Quinnipiac, 240 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 159 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,374. During this same period, 126 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of Southern Maine landed the #6 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking. University of Southern Maine is a medium-sized public school located in Portland, Maine that handed out 1,644 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 8,022 students enrolled at University of Southern Maine, 428 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 237 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,377. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a ranking of #7, Salem State University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Salem State is located in Salem, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2,162 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 7,242 students enrolled at Salem State, 305 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 185 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,730. During this same period, 5 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Salem State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a ranking of #8, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. UNH is located in Durham, New Hampshire and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4,166 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 14,348 students enrolled at UNH, 457 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 314 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,532. In addition to receiving other benefits, 16 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNH does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Boston University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #9. Boston University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 11,894 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 32,718 students enrolled at Boston U, 438 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 321 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,944. In addition to receiving other benefits, 48 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Boston U also did well on our Best Schools in the New England Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #10, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Northeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 7,648 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 22,905 students enrolled at Northeastern, 700 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 515 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,457. To help with additional expenses, 171 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Northeastern excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the New England Region list.
With a ranking of #11, Fitchburg State University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Fitchburg State is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,780 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the 6,728 students enrolled at Fitchburg State, 151 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 82 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,484. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Framingham State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, the small public school handed out 1,335 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 4,876 students enrolled at Framingham State, 169 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 115 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,873. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a ranking of #13, Champlain College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Located in Burlington, Vermont, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1,271 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 4,137 students enrolled at Champlain, 320 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 239 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,492. In addition to receiving other benefits, 33 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Champlain does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 3,715 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 11,254 students enrolled at MIT, 119 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 87 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,495. During this same period, 43 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. MIT does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. MIT did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Schools in the New England Region list.
With a ranking of #15, Boston College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 4,882 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 14,934 students enrolled at Boston College, 164 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 130 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $24,987. To help with additional expenses, 74 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Boston College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Boston College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the New England Region list.
With a ranking of #16, University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is a fairly large public school located in Lowell, Massachusetts that handed out 4,354 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, UMass Lowell supports 18,150 students, and 649 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 401 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,152. To help with additional expenses, 46 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #17, Sacred Heart University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region list. Sacred Heart is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,596 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 9,313 students enrolled at Sacred Heart, 137 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 96 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,537. In addition to receiving other benefits, 35 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Sacred Heart does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Granite State College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking. GSC is a small public school situated in Concord, New Hampshire. It awarded 531 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 192 of the 1,879 students enrolled at GSC were GI Bill® students, of which 142 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,732. On top of their other funding sources, 22 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. GSC does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Bridgewater State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #19. Bridgewater, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,559 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 391 of the 10,651 students enrolled at Bridgewater State were GI Bill® students, of which 153 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,927. During this same period, 10 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
University of Rhode Island came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking. URI is a fairly large public school situated in Kingston, Rhode Island. It awarded 4,654 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 385 of the 17,649 students enrolled at URI were GI Bill® students, of which 192 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,395. URI does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Bay Path University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #21. Bay Path is located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 951 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Bay Path supports 3,224 students, and 66 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 43 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,967. To help with additional expenses, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
University of New Haven landed the #22 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking. Located in West Haven, Connecticut, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,901 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 341 of the 6,961 students enrolled at University of New Haven were GI Bill® students, of which 246 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,346. On top of their other funding sources, 95 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of New Haven does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Albertus Magnus College landed the #23 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking. Albertus Magnus College is a small private not-for-profit school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 448 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 1,384 students enrolled at Albertus Magnus, 63 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 43 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,897. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
University of Vermont landed the #24 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking. Located in Burlington, Vermont, the fairly large public school awarded 3,153 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 220 of the 13,292 students enrolled at UVM were GI Bill® students, of which 182 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,965. In addition to receiving other benefits, 40 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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%.
Norwich University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #25. Norwich is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Vermont. It awarded 1,230 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 3,975 students enrolled at Norwich, 808 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 655 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,758. On top of their other funding sources, 55 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Norwich does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Rest of the Best 26 Colleges for Veterans in the New England Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for Veterans ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | Boston, MA |
| 28 | University of Maine | Orono, ME |
| 29 | Rivier University | Nashua, NH |
| 30 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT |
| 31 | Roger Williams University | Bristol, RI |
| 32 | University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth | North Dartmouth, MA |
| 33 | Charter Oak State College | New Britain, CT |
| 34 | Plymouth State University | Plymouth, NH |
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- 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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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