Why This Matters
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17 FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
According to College Navigator, the four-year colleges in New Hampshire include 6 public and 11 private non-profit options.
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$17,025 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES
For the 2022-23 school year, the average in-state tuition for public four-year colleges in New Hampshire is $17,025, according to College Board.
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$15,330 AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID
In the U.S., full-time undergraduate students attending college in 2021-22 received an average of $15,330 per year in financial aid.
Our Research
This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar colleges in New Hampshire. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications, such as U.S. News & World Report, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
The colleges on our list are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) — this organization examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of postsecondary education programs in the northeastern United States.
We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission standards, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the resources and services provided for on-campus students. Then, we used this information to calculate the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Online College Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
The Top 50 Colleges in New Hampshire

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What You Should Know About Graduating From College in New Hampshire
When choosing a New Hampshire college to attend, you should consider how your education will prepare you to enter the workforce. As of May 2022, the five industries that employ the most workers in New Hampshire are office and administrative support occupations, sales, food preparation and serving, transportation and material moving, and management.
The state’s five fastest-growing careers for workers with a bachelor’s degree are information security analysts, actuaries, atmospheric and space scientists, logisticians, and museum technicians and conservators. Enrolling in a college degree program that’s related to one of these fields should set you up with a promising career after graduation. In some cases, you may be able to begin working in your chosen field even while you’re still completing your college program.
Many of the most prominent employers in New Hampshire need qualified college graduates. A few of the state’s largest employers include the University System of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, and Concord Hospital.
What’s Next?
While researching the best colleges in New Hampshire, it’s important to take into account what financial aid options are available to you. The state and federal resources listed below offer a wealth of information about grants, scholarships, and other opportunities that you might be able to benefit from.
- New Hampshire Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. This organization’s website offers information about a variety of scholarship programs for New Hampshire college students.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Provided by the U.S. Department of Education, FAFSA is the main form students use to apply for financial aid for college. To determine if you’re eligible for aid, submit a completed FAFSA form online.
- CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder. This tool will show you available scholarships, grants, and loans and can be filtered by state and degree type. It includes information such as dollar amounts, how to apply, qualifications, deadlines, and contact details.