POPULATION (2021): 1.4 million
CAPITAL: Concord
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: University of New Hampshire
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: Dartmouth College
New Hampshire is small in size but still has more than a million people and a noticeable commitment to education at both the high school and collegiate levels. Five public universities offer 4-year degrees, all of which are administered by the University System of New Hampshire.
For a small state, there is still an abundance of different landscapes, with large mountains (for the East Coast, anyway) in the north, lakes, and waterways throughout the state, and a stretch of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the East. Here is a closer look at the college landscape in The Granite State.
Universities in New Hampshire – 4-Year Colleges and Online
New Hampshire entered the Union in 1788 as one of the first 13 colonies, and like most of the other original colonies, there are several prestigious 4-year universities and colleges in the state.
Public Universities in New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire’s Durham campus is the largest public university, with more than 15,000 students. Here is a list of the other public universities in New Hampshire that offer 4-year degrees:
- Plymouth State University
- Keene State College
- Granite State College
- University of New Hampshire at Manchester
Private Universities in New Hampshire
Similar to other New England states, there are also several private universities in New Hampshire, several of which are renowned well beyond the Northeast, and even the United States.
Southern New Hampshire University has a campus in Manchester but is also one of the most enrolled-in online universities in the entire country. Dartmouth College is a research university in the city of Hanover that borders Vermont and is close to a lot of skiing, as are the other northern universities. Here is a list of the other private universities and colleges in New Hampshire that offer 4-year degrees:
- New England College
- Franklin Pierce University
- Colby-Sawyer College
- Antioch University of New England
- Hellenic American University
Community Colleges in New Hampshire
The community college system in New Hampshire is well established and has a dedication to helping students transfer to one of the 5 state universities if they so desire. Here they are, with their city in parentheses:
- River Valley Community College (Claremont)
- White Mountains Community College (Berlin/Littleton)
- Lakes Region Community College (Laconia)
- Nashua Community College (Nashua)
- Great Bay Community College (Portsmouth)
- Manchester Community College (Manchester)
- Concord’s Community College (Concord)
Prominent Online Colleges in New Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire University has grown to become one of the largest online colleges in the country, when measured by enrollment. They have a nationwide advertising reach, and it seems to be working. However, they are not the only school in the state with a good online program.
Dartmouth offers several online programs for students looking for certifications, 4-year degrees, or graduate programs, as do all 5 of the public universities in New Hampshire.
Get to Know New Hampshire
Most people who visit New Hampshire will tell you it is one of the most beautiful places they have visited in the United States, especially if they went in the fall when the leaves are changing. The rolling hills and peaceful coastal towns in the south have their own types of beauty, and the mountains in the north are breathtaking and also serve as arenas for a lot of fun for college students. In the winter, ski resorts are hot tickets for college students in New Hampshire, and in the warmer months, simply taking a drive through the north offers otherworldly beauty, but there are also several places to hike, bike, and camp.
| Institution Name | City | State | Website | Degree Levels Offered | Modality | Profit Status (CNTLAFFI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Academy of Health and Beauty | Manchester | NH | myaahb.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| American School of Nursing and Medical Careers | Manchester | NH | www.americannursinged.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Antioch University-New England | Keene | NH | www.antiochne.edu | Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Colby-Sawyer College | New London | NH | www.colby-sawyer.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Continental Academie of Hair Design-Hudson | Hudson | NH | continentalacademie.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover | NH | www.dartmouth.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Empire Beauty School-Hooksett | Hooksett | NH | www.empirebeautyschools.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Empire Beauty School-Laconia | Laconia | NH | www.empirebeautyschools.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Empire Beauty School-Somersworth | Somersworth | NH | www.empirebeautyschools.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Franklin Pierce University | Rindge | NH | www.franklinpierce.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Granite State College | Concord | NH | www.granite.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Online | No |
| Great Bay Community College | Portsmouth | NH | www.greatbay.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Harmony Health Care Institute | Merrimack | NH | www.harmony-health.org | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Keene Beauty Academy | Keene | NH | WWW.KEENEBEAUTYACADEMY.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Keene State College | Keene | NH | www.keene.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Lakes Region Community College | Laconia | NH | www.lrcc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Magdalen College | Warner | NH | www.magdalen.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Manchester Community College | Manchester | NH | www.mccnh.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Michaels School of Hair Design and Esthetics-Paul Mitchell Partner School | Bedford | NH | paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Nashua Community College | Nashua | NH | nashuacc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| New England College | Henniker | NH | www.nec.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| New England School of Hair Design | West Lebanon | NH | www.neshd.org | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| New Hampshire Institute for Therapeutic Arts | Hudson | NH | www.nhita.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| NHTI-Concord's Community College | Concord | NH | www.nhti.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Portsmouth | Portsmouth | NH | paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Plymouth State University | Plymouth | NH | www.plymouth.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| River Valley Community College | Claremont | NH | www.rivervalley.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Rivier University | Nashua | NH | www.rivier.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Hybrid | No |
| Saint Anselm College | Manchester | NH | www.anselm.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester | NH | www.snhu.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Online | No |
| St Joseph School of Nursing | Nashua | NH | www.sjson.edu | Associates |
Campus | No |
| Thomas More College of Liberal Arts | Merrimack | NH | www.thomasmorecollege.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| University of New Hampshire at Manchester | Manchester | NH | manchester.unh.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law | Concord | NH | law.unh.edu | Masters Doctorate |
Hybrid | No |
| University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | Durham | NH | www.unh.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| University System of New Hampshire System Office | Concord | NH | www.usnh.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
No | |
| Upper Valley Educators Institute | Lebanon | NH | www.uvei.edu | Campus | No | |
| White Mountains Community College | Berlin | NH | www.wmcc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |