New Hampshire packs an unusually wide range of higher education into a small state. Within a short drive you can find an Ivy League campus in Hanover, a flagship public university in Durham, small liberal arts colleges in the hills, and community college campuses that reach all the way to Berlin. Our database tracks 54 college listings statewide, from degree-granting universities to cosmetology and nursing schools. This page explains how those schools are organised and how to choose between them.

Most listings are in the southern half of the state, where the population is concentrated, but every one of New Hampshire's ten counties has at least one. That spread matters when you are weighing commute, housing and winter driving. A campus that looks close on a map can mean a long drive on two-lane roads in January.

How Public and Private Colleges Are Organised in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's public higher education runs through two separate systems. The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) governs the University of New Hampshire in Durham, Plymouth State University and Keene State College. Our database lists the USNH System Office at 25 Concord Road in Lee, reachable at 603-862-1800. That office handles system-wide matters such as governance and policy, so call a campus admissions office, not the system office, when you want to apply.

The second system is the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH). Its colleges include NHTI-Concord's Community College, Nashua Community College, Great Bay Community College, River Valley Community College and White Mountains Community College. Each college runs its own admissions, advising and class schedules. Most programs accept applicants with a high school diploma or equivalent. Nursing and other health programs, however, often add prerequisites, entrance tests and waiting lists.

Private nonprofit institutions make up the third group. Dartmouth College in Hanover, Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New England College in Henniker, Franklin Pierce University in Rindge and Northeast Catholic College in Warner set their own tuition, admission standards and academic calendars. The public system rules do not apply to them, so compare each school's published costs and aid policies directly.

Oversight comes from several directions. Degree-granting institutions generally need state authorization through the New Hampshire Department of Education's Higher Education Commission, and most hold regional accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Hair, skin and nursing programs add another layer, because the licenses themselves are issued by boards under the state Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. A school can be open for business and still not prepare you for a license, so ask which approvals it holds.

Where the Colleges Are: Merrimack Valley, Upper Valley, Seacoast and North Country

The densest cluster is in Hillsborough County, home to Manchester and Nashua. Manchester has more listings than any other city in the state, including Salter School of Nursing and Allied Health at 670 North Commercial Street (603-622-8400). In Nashua, Nashua Community College sits at 505 Amherst Street (603-578-8900). Smaller towns add to the mix: Harmony Health Care Institute is on Al Paul Lane in Merrimack, and Michaels School of Hair Design and Esthetics is on South River Road in Bedford. Many of these towns lie along the Everett Turnpike, so a student can often visit several programs in one afternoon.

North of there, Merrimack County centers on Concord, the state capital. NHTI-Concord's Community College is at 31 College Drive (603-271-6484). Outside Concord, the county has a string of small residential colleges: New England College at 98 Bridge Street in Henniker, Colby-Sawyer at 541 Main Street in New London, and Northeast Catholic College at 511 Kearsarge Mountain Road in Warner. These campuses are in small towns, so living on or near campus is a big part of the experience.

The Upper Valley and the area around Plymouth fall largely in Grafton County. Dartmouth College is at 14 North Main Street in Hanover (603-646-1110). Plymouth State University is at 17 High Street in Plymouth (603-535-5000). Upper Valley Educators Institute, a teacher preparation program, is at 194 Dartmouth College Highway in Lebanon (603-678-4888). Lebanon and Hanover sit across the Connecticut River from Vermont, so many students and workers cross the state line every day.

On the Seacoast side, Strafford County holds the University of New Hampshire's main campus at 105 Main Street in Durham (603-862-1234). It also has Great Bay Community College's Rochester campus at 5 Milton Road (603-427-7700) and an Empire Beauty School in Somersworth. Rockingham County adds Intercoast College in Salem and another Empire Beauty School in Portsmouth.

Farther north, White Mountains Community College serves the North Country from 2020 Riverside Drive in Berlin (603-752-1113). It also runs an academic center at 2541 White Mountain Highway in Conway (603-356-7926). Those two sites are the main public options for students in the northern and Mount Washington Valley communities.

Career, Beauty and Health Training Schools in New Hampshire

Not every listing is a degree-granting college. A large share are career schools that train students for a specific license or job in months rather than years. They are often the fastest route into a trade, and they cluster in larger towns where clients and employers are.

Before enrolling, ask how many training hours the program includes and whether it qualifies you to sit for the New Hampshire licensing exam. Ask for recent exam pass rates and job-placement figures. Get the total cost in writing, including kits, uniforms and any fees that sit outside tuition.

Choosing a New Hampshire College: Practical Steps Before You Apply

Start with accreditation. NECHE publishes a list of the institutions it accredits, and the U.S. Department of Education keeps a database of recognized accrediting agencies. Confirm both before you pay a deposit.

Next, compare the true cost. Public colleges charge New Hampshire residents less than out-of-state students, but residency rules apply, so ask the registrar how the college defines in-state status. Every school, public or private, uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to start the federal aid process, and each school has its own code to enter on that form.

If you are still in high school, ask your counselor about Running Start, which lets eligible students earn college credit through the community colleges before graduating. If you plan to transfer from a community college to a four-year campus, ask for written transfer agreements before you choose courses.

Finally, plan for geography. Outside Manchester, Nashua and Concord, public transit is limited, and winter weather can make back roads slow or impassable. Visit the campus in person, ask about parking and housing, and call the admissions office at the number listed on the school's page.

Public colleges and universities in New Hampshire offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The New Hampshire state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 25 cities across New Hampshire. They are spread across 10 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Manchester, Nashua, Concord, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in New Hampshire should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in New Hampshire applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many New Hampshire institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across New Hampshire to find the nearest location.

Rural Colleges in Cheshire County and the North Country

Southwestern and northern New Hampshire have fewer campuses, but the ones they have matter a great deal to local employers and families. In Cheshire County, Keene has four listings, including River Valley Community College's Keene Academic Center at 438 Washington Street (603-357-0408). Franklin Pierce University is at 40 University Drive in Rindge (603-899-4000), and Keene State College, a USNH member, is also in Keene. River Valley's main campus is at 1 College Place in Claremont (603-542-7744), which serves Sullivan County.

In Coos County the picture is different. White Mountains Community College in Berlin is the only listing in the county, so students there often depend on one campus for the whole range of programs. Distances between towns are long, so ask about online and hybrid course options, and about satellite sites such as the Conway center, before you commit to a daily commute.

Rural campuses often have smaller classes and closer ties to local employers such as hospitals, schools and manufacturers. The trade-offs are fewer course sections each term and fewer evening options. Call the advising office to learn which courses run in person next semester. If you want to see a campus, visit between September and November or between April and May, when classes are in session and roads are usually clear.

Frequently Asked Questions About New Hampshire Colleges

The University System of New Hampshire governs the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University and Keene State College. These are four-year institutions that grant bachelor's degrees and some graduate degrees. The Community College System of New Hampshire oversees the state's community colleges, which focus on two-year associate degrees, certificates and workforce training. Each campus handles its own admissions, so you apply to the college directly rather than to the system. Many students start at a community college and transfer, so ask both schools about transfer agreements before you register. The USNH System Office in Lee, at 603-862-1800, is the contact for system-wide policy questions.

Check three things. First, look up the school's accreditor and confirm it appears in the U.S. Department of Education's list of recognized accrediting agencies. Most degree-granting colleges in New England are accredited by NECHE. Second, ask whether the school is authorized to operate in New Hampshire, which for degree-granting institutions runs through the state Department of Education. Third, for programs that lead to a license, such as cosmetology or nursing, ask whether graduates qualify for the state exam. Reputable schools answer these questions in writing. If a representative avoids them or pushes you to sign the same day, treat that as a warning sign.

Cosmetologists and estheticians are licensed by a board within the state Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Applicants generally complete an approved training program and pass an examination, so confirm the current hour requirement and application steps with the board before you enroll. In our database, training options include Empire Beauty School campuses in Portsmouth, Hooksett, Laconia and Somersworth, Continental Academie of Hair Design in Hudson, and Michaels School of Hair Design and Esthetics in Bedford. Call two or three schools, compare schedules and total costs, and ask about their recent exam pass rates.

Several schools are listed within a short drive of each other. Salter School of Nursing and Allied Health is at 670 North Commercial Street in Manchester, and Harmony Health Care Institute is at 10 Al Paul Lane in Merrimack. Public choices include Nashua Community College on Amherst Street in Nashua and NHTI-Concord's Community College on College Drive in Concord. Program lengths, prerequisites and credentials differ, so ask each school which health programs it currently offers, whether there is a waiting list, and how clinical placements are arranged. Nursing programs are approved by the state Board of Nursing, so confirm approval status too.

In most cases, yes. The community colleges take part in Running Start, a program that lets eligible high school students take college courses and earn credit before graduation. Some universities and private colleges also offer dual-enrollment or early-college options. Eligibility, tuition rates and approved courses vary, so start with your school counselor. Then call the admissions office at the college you want, such as Great Bay Community College's Rochester campus at 603-427-7700 or Nashua Community College at 603-578-8900. Ask whether the credits will transfer to the four-year schools you are considering, since not every college accepts every course.

Have your high school transcript or equivalency record, any earlier college transcripts, and the program you want in mind. If you hope to qualify for in-state tuition, be ready to explain how long you have lived in New Hampshire, since colleges set their own residency documentation rules. Ask about application deadlines, application fees, placement testing and financial aid. To apply for federal aid, complete the FAFSA and list each school's code. The numbers in our listings, such as Dartmouth's 603-646-1110 or Plymouth State's 603-535-5000, are main campus lines, so ask to be transferred to admissions or financial aid.