by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in New Hampshire, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **9** graduate schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual analyzed 9 graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors 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.
This is how starting salaries are distributed among the top-ranked graduate schools:
Here are the top-ranked graduate schools:
Dartmouth College tops our 2026 ranking of the best graduate schools in New Hampshire. Based in Hanover, NH, Dartmouth College is a private not-for-profit institution. Dartmouth College posts a six-year graduation rate of 96%. In-state tuition and fees run about $68,019. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $81,992. Typical student debt is $16,989.
A rank of #2 makes University Of New Hampshire Main Campus one of the top graduate schools in New Hampshire. University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a public school based in Durham, NH. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. In-state tuition and fees run about $19,202, while out-of-state students pay about $39,852. Graduates go on to earn a median of $52,064 early in their careers. University Of New Hampshire Main Campus students take on a median of $26,368 in debt.
Saint Anselm College came in at #3 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in New Hampshire. Based in Manchester, NH, Saint Anselm College is a private not-for-profit institution. Saint Anselm College graduates 80% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $48,920. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $48,228. Graduates carry a median of $26,863 in student loans.
Out of the 9 graduate schools in New Hampshire in this year's ranking, University Of New Hampshire School Of Law landed the #4 spot. Located in Concord, NH, University Of New Hampshire School Of Law is a public institution.
A rank of #5 makes Rivier College one of the top graduate schools in New Hampshire. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashua, NH. About 51% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $39,488. Early-career graduates earn a median of $60,796. The median student debt is $28,917.
University Of New Hampshire At Manchester did well this year, earning the #6 position. Set in Manchester, NH, University Of New Hampshire At Manchester is a public institution. University Of New Hampshire At Manchester graduates 59% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,838, with out-of-state students paying around $36,418. Graduates go on to earn a median of $48,035 early in their careers. University Of New Hampshire At Manchester students take on a median of $26,277 in debt.
Colby Sawyer College placed #7 among the best graduate schools in New Hampshire. This private not-for-profit school is set in New London, NH. Colby Sawyer College posts a six-year graduation rate of 54%. Students from in state pay about $19,125 in tuition and fees. Colby Sawyer College graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,655. The median student debt is $26,832.
Southern New Hampshire University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Southern New Hampshire University is a private not-for-profit school based in Manchester, NH. The six-year graduation rate is 44%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,200. Early-career graduates earn a median of $53,211. Students borrow a median of $29,103 to complete a degree here.
Keene State College ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Based in Keene, NH, Keene State College is a public institution. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $14,784 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,840. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $41,049. The median student debt is $26,185.
Franklin Pierce University landed the #10 spot in New Hampshire this year. Based in Rindge, NH, Franklin Pierce University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 54% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $46,442. Franklin Pierce University graduates report median early-career earnings of $59,350. Franklin Pierce University students take on a median of $26,937 in debt.
Granite State College landed the #11 spot in New Hampshire this year. Set in Manchester, NH, Granite State College is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 23%. In-state tuition and fees average $7,724, while out-of-state students pay about $9,284. Median early-career earnings reach $55,121. The median student debt is $27,522.
Plymouth State University did well this year, earning the #12 position. Set in Plymouth, NH, Plymouth State University is a public institution. Plymouth State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 52%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,626, with out-of-state students paying around $25,566. Graduates go on to earn a median of $45,528 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $26,972 in student loans.
Antioch University New England placed #13 among the best graduate schools in New Hampshire. This private not-for-profit school is set in Keene, NH. Antioch University New England graduates report median early-career earnings of $51,191.
New England College landed the #14 spot in New Hampshire this year. 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%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,474. Median early-career earnings reach $68,950. New England College students take on a median of $35,038 in debt.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.