Best Colleges in New Hampshire (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in New Hampshire lists 10 four-year institutions in the state. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for New Hampshire, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. Dartmouth College ranks 1st on this list and reports $111,883 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing.
The list includes 3 public and 7 private nonprofit schools. Dartmouth College ranks 111th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Keene State College posts the lowest average net price at $17,887.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dartmouth College · Hanover, NH | $111,883 | $29,519 | $41 | 5.4% |
| Dartmouth College reports median earnings of $111,883 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a 96% six-year completion rate. | |||||
| 2 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus · Durham, NH | $71,253 | $23,805 | $16,523 | 88.2% |
| University of New Hampshire-Main Campus admits 88% of applicants and shows an average net price of $23,805. | |||||
| 3 | Rivier University · Nashua, NH | $79,087 | $28,082 | $23,321 | 82.6% |
| Graduates of Rivier University earn a median of $79,087 four years after completing, and the school ranks 850th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 4 | Thomas More College of Liberal Arts · Merrimack, NH | $54,779 | $18,489 | $10,433 | Not reported |
| Thomas More College of Liberal Arts posts an average net price of $18,489 and a six-year completion rate of 62%. | |||||
| 5 | Keene State College · Keene, NH | $58,191 | $17,887 | $12,192 | 90.3% |
| Keene State College ranks 5th on this list and reports median earnings of $58,191 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Plymouth State University · Plymouth, NH | $57,351 | $19,216 | $14,676 | 87.5% |
| With an admission rate of 88%, Plymouth State University graduates 52% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 7 | Saint Anselm College · Manchester, NH | $76,334 | $34,779 | $25,143 | 78.1% |
| Saint Anselm College reports median earnings of $76,334 for its graduates four years after completing, and its average net price is $34,779. | |||||
| 8 | Franklin Pierce University · Rindge, NH | $66,687 | $27,154 | $19,364 | 93.5% |
| Franklin Pierce University admits 93% of applicants and shows an average net price of $19,364 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 9 | New England College · Henniker, NH | $55,330 | $26,972 | $25,598 | 92.1% |
| New England College ranks 1353rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 35%. | |||||
| 10 | Colby-Sawyer College · New London, NH | $57,874 | $27,431 | $22,456 | 80.1% |
| Graduates of Colby-Sawyer College earn a median of $57,874 four years after completing, and the school admits 80% of applicants. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for New Hampshire, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings figures cited below are the median earnings of federally aided completers at each institution, across all fields, who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. The list does not adjust for cost or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Dartmouth College reports median earnings of $111,883 for its graduates four years after completing, while University of New Hampshire-Main Campus reports $71,253. The list includes 3 public and 7 private nonprofit institutions.