Colleges in New Hampshire

The largest and most predominate provider of New Hampshire colleges is the University System of New Hampshire. Before 1963, there was no system of higher learning in the state. There were two teacher's colleges in New Hampshire in Keene and Plymouth which were governed by the State Board of Education. The State University was located in Durham and had a separate Board of Trustees. In 1961, the state's governor, Wesley Powell, appointed a commission to develop a plan for New Hampshire schools of public higher education to better manage the sudden increase in numbers of students that were enrolling in schools in New Hampshire. In 1963, the State Legislature formed the University System of New Hampshire on the recommendation of the Interim Commission.

Today, the USNH is governed by one Board of Trustees and oversees Plymouth State University, Granite State College, Keene State College and the University of New Hampshire, Durham and Manchester campuses. There are around 14 additional associates and baccalaureate colleges in New Hampshire, one law school and one art school. Four Massachusetts schools offer courses and award degrees around New Hampshire. They are Lesley University, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Springfield College and Wheelock College. Dartmouth, a private Ivy League college is New Hampshire's oldest institute of higher education.

The state's System of Community Colleges oversees community colleges in these locations:

  • White Mountains CC, Berlin
  • River Valley, Claremont
  • New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord
  • Lakes Region CC, Laconia
  • Manchester CC
  • Nashua CC
  • Great Bay CC

Colleges in New Hampshire vary in size from 1,100 students to 15,000 students. All schools in New Hampshire give students access to great skiing, hiking and other outdoor activities. Dartmouth College in New Hanover is one of the nation's most prestigious schools. It is a private research institute. Other top colleges include Colby-Sawyer, New London, Saint Anslem College, Manchester and the University of New Hampshire, Durham.

Economy

In 2008, the Bureau of Economic Analysis listed the gross state product of New Hampshire as $60 billion, ranking it as the 40th wealthiest in the nation. The median household incomes was $49,467, the nation's seventh highest.

New Hampshire has seen a significant shift in its economy in the last century. The traditional base of the economy was comprised of textiles, shoe making and machining shops drawing on low-wage labor from small farming communities throughout the state and parts of Quebec. Today, these sectors contribute a much smaller percentage of the state's total manufacturing income. The sharp decline was because of the lure of the South's cheaper wages causing many plants to become obsolete.

New Hampshire's industrial outputs today are electric equipment, machinary, rubber and plastic. Agricultural outputs are nursery stock, cattle, dairy products, eggs and apples. Tourism also plays a role in the state's economy.

New Hampshire has no income tax or broad sales tax. It does have a property tax and narrower taxes on vehicles, meals, lodging, state roads, and business and investment taxes.

The state's energy consumption per capita is among the nation's lowest according to the Energy Information Administration. Air-conditioning demands are low because of mild summers and over half of the state's residents burn fuel oil for heat. Portsmouth's Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant is New England's largest nuclear reactor. It provides around 30 percent of the state's electricity. The rest is provided by fossil fuel-powered plants and natural gas-fired plants.

New Hampshire's unemployment rate dropped significantly from 7.1 percent to 5.4 percent in 2010. This indicates growth for the state of New Hampshire as it remains a great state to attend college and find employment.

Found 40 Post-Secondary Schools In New Hampshire


Title City State Type Enrollment
Antioch New England Graduate School Keene NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 960
Chester College of New England Chester NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 203
Colby - Sawyer College New London NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 845
Continental Academie of Hair Design Hudson NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 59
Continental Academie of Hair Design Manchester NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 33
Daniel Webster College Nashua NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 1099
Dartmouth College Hanover NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 5386
Esthetics Institute at Concord Academy Concord NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 12
Franklin Pierce College Rindge NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 1489
Franklin Pierce College - Graduate and Professional Studies Rindge NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 704
Franklin Pierce Law Center Concord NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 466
Granite State College Concord NH 4-year public 2087
Hesser College Manchester NH 4-year private, for-profit 2766
Keene Beauty Academy Keene NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 56
Keene State College Keene NH 4-year public 4573
Lebanon College Lebanon NH 2-year private, not-for-profit 9
Magdalen College Warner NH 4-year private, not-for-profit No Data
Master Bartenders School Newmarket NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit No Data
Michaels School of Hair Design and Esthetics Bedford NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 78
New England College Henniker NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 835
New England School of Hair Design Inc West Lebanon NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 19
New England School of Travel Ltd Claremont NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit No Data
New Hampshire Career Institute Concord NH Less than 2-year private, not-for-profit 18
New Hampshire College Manchester NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 4584
New Hampshire Community Technical College - Berlin/laconia Laconia NH 2-year public 1471
New Hampshire Community Technical College - Manchester/stratham Stratham NH 2-year public 4024
New Hampshire Community Technical College - Nashua/claremont Nashua NH 2-year public 2176
New Hampshire Institute of Art Manchester NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 14
New Hampshire Technical Institute Concord NH 2-year public 2809
Notre Dame College Manchester NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 1121
Plymouth State University Plymouth NH 4-year public 4041
Portsmouth Beauty School of Hair Design Portsmouth NH Less than 2-year private, for-profit 21
Rivier College Nashua NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 2320
Saint Anselm College Manchester NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 1985
Saint Joseph School of Health Occupations Nashua NH Less than 2-year private, not-for-profit No Data
Saint Joseph School of Practical Nursing Nashua NH Less than 2-year private, not-for-profit 34
Thomas More College of Arts Merrimack NH 4-year private, not-for-profit 22
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham NH 4-year public 14689
University of New Hampshire - Manchester Manchester NH 4-year public No Data
University System of New Hampshire System Office Durham NH Central office or Administrative Unit No Data

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/