by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in New Hampshire, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. This list ranks **9** colleges by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual evaluated 9 colleges on more than 20 objective measures such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Learn more about these excellent colleges below:
University Of New Hampshire Main Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges in New Hampshire. University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a public school based in Durham, NH. Roughly 76% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,202, with out-of-state students paying around $39,852. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $52,064. Students borrow a median of $26,368 to complete a degree here.
The strong outcomes at Southern New Hampshire University earned it the #2 place in New Hampshire. Set in Manchester, NH, Southern New Hampshire University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 44% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $17,200 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $53,211. Students borrow a median of $29,103 to complete a degree here.
Out of the 9 colleges in New Hampshire in this year's ranking, Granite State College landed the #3 spot. Set in Manchester, NH, Granite State College is a public institution. Granite State College posts a six-year graduation rate of 23%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,724, with out-of-state students paying around $9,284. Early-career graduates earn a median of $55,121. Typical student debt is $27,522.
Colby Sawyer College came in at #4 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in New Hampshire. Located in New London, NH, Colby Sawyer College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 54%. Students from in state pay about $19,125 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $54,655 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,832 to complete a degree here.
Rivier College came in at #5 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in New Hampshire. Based in Nashua, NH, Rivier College is a private not-for-profit institution. Rivier College posts a six-year graduation rate of 51%. In-state tuition and fees run about $39,488. Median early-career earnings reach $60,796. Students borrow a median of $28,917 to complete a degree here.
Nhti Concords Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Located in Concord, NH, Nhti Concords Community College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,200, while out-of-state students pay about $15,450. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $50,550. Nhti Concords Community College students take on a median of $18,046 in debt.
Nashua Community College came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Set in Nashua, NH, Nashua Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,140, while out-of-state students pay about $15,390. Median early-career earnings reach $24,074. Graduates carry a median of $10,608 in student loans.
Great Bay Community College placed #8 among the best colleges in New Hampshire. Based in Portsmouth, NH, Great Bay Community College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,200, with out-of-state students paying around $15,450. Great Bay Community College graduates report median early-career earnings of $48,692. Great Bay Community College students take on a median of $17,639 in debt.
Manchester Community College Nh landed the #9 spot in New Hampshire this year. Set in Manchester, NH, Manchester Community College Nh is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,090 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,340.
River Valley Community College placed #10 among the best colleges in New Hampshire. River Valley Community College is a public school based in Claremont, NH. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,940, compared with $15,190 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $50,859. River Valley Community College students take on a median of $25,669 in debt.
White Mountains Community College did well this year, earning the #11 position. This public school is set in Berlin, NH. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,050, while out-of-state students pay about $15,300. Median early-career earnings reach $60,162. White Mountains Community College students take on a median of $18,250 in debt.
Lakes Region Community College placed #12 among the best colleges in New Hampshire. Located in Laconia, NH, Lakes Region Community College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,720 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,970.
New England College placed #13 among the best colleges in New Hampshire. Set in Henniker, NH, New England College is a private not-for-profit institution. New England College posts a six-year graduation rate of 35%. In-state tuition and fees average $27,474. Graduates go on to earn a median of $68,950 early in their careers. New England College students take on a median of $35,038 in debt.
St Joseph School Of Nursing landed the #14 spot in New Hampshire this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashua, NH. Students from in state pay about $23,438 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $71,623 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $24,167 in student loans.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Colleges are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.