A Guide to Online Schools in New Hampshire

New Hampshire holds a unique place in American history: one of the first areas settled by European explorers — the English and French arrived at the turn of the 17th century — Paul Revere rode through Portsmouth in December 1774 to warn of an imminent British attack, presaging his more famous midnight ride the next year. (In fact, in this case, Revere's intelligence proved incorrect, though it heightened hostilities). The state was the ninth to ratify the Constitution in 1788. As a major hub for immigrants, particularly French Canadians and Poles, New Hampshire's economy relied on manufacturing in the years before the Great Depression, especially textiles. Since then, its location along the Northeast Corridor and proximity to Greater Boston has provided economic stability; its median household income ranks in the top 10 nationally, and it's also among the most energy efficient states in the country. New Hampshire's higher education options are another strength; there are more than 25 two- and four-year colleges; and many schools have kept pace with national trends toward affordable, flexible higher education by offering online programs.

In-state tuition is often applied to public schools offering online programs. Many online programs require some face-to-face time, or more numerous support services at their brick and mortar locations. Intensive study experiences, often on the weekends or in several week-long bouts, enable many online students to accelerate their time until graduation. And students looking at online education can drastically expand their educational options if they also look to hybrid degrees (degrees that can be taken partially, or mostly online). Finally, one of the most common stipulations in scholarships is that students be from a certain state or region, often more funds are available to students seeking degrees in-state.

There are at least seven public colleges and universities that offer online degrees in New Hampshire: Granite State College, University of New Hampshire, Manchester Community College, Plymouth State University, NHTI-Concord's Community College, the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, and University of New Hampshire School of Law. There are at least five private schools that offer online degrees in New Hampshire: Southern New Hampshire University, Franklin Pierce University, New England College, Antioch University-New England, and Rivier University.

Featured Online Schools

Potential Resident

For a variety of reasons, a student may look to move to the state of their online college program whether specifically required by the program or not – be it for a job, location desirability, school benefits, etc. Different states have different policies, however, and some of them can be rather demanding. The University System of New Hampshire has the most comprehensive list of the state's residency requirements. In general, all students applying for in-state tuition should have lived in New Hampshire for at least 12 months prior to the first day of classes, and the student — or the student's dependents — must demonstrate that they've established residency beyond merely meeting the in-state tuition requirement, i.e, they're employed in the state, etc. Military families are exempt from these requirements.)

For 2016-17, the average tuition for a four-year public school in New Hampshire was $15,650, compared to a national average of $9,404. That's a 2% increase from 2015-16 — on par with the national average — and a 9% increase over five years — which is 3% lower than the national average. In short, while the state's average tuition is high, it's at least tapered and stable. The same goes for two-year community colleges: the $6,525 price tag is about $2k higher than the national average, but that's dropped 9% in the last five years. It may also be worth noting that New Hampshire's tuition has been higher for at least the past ten years, so these numbers shouldn't be surprising.

There are 3 schools in the Greater Manchester Area that offer online degrees: Southern New Hampshire University, University of New Hampshire at Manchester, Manchester Community College. Altogether, these account for the most total degrees in the state, at 53. SNHU alone offers 42 degrees, including 7 associates, 16 bachelors, and 19 masters, covering everything from Fashion Merchandising, to Criminal Justice, to Graphic Design, to Business. As the #1-rated university in the country for innovation, SNHU is one of the worldwide leaders in online education and serves 70,000 students. For its part, Manchester Community College is the largest two-year center for online education, with studies in Accounting, Finance, Health Science, Behavioral Science, English, and more. UNH Manchester offers 3 masters. For students willing to make occasional commutes, 3 schools offer online programs in Concord, and one in Nashua.

Rivier University, a private Catholic school, is the main source for online education in Nashua, offering a BS in Nursing (RN to BSN), BA in Psychology, and MS in Nursing, with a concentration in Leadership in Health Systems Management. For those willing to make occasional commutes, Southern New Hampshire University, University of New Hampshire at Manchester, and Manchester Community College, all offer online degrees, as well. (SNHU is the largest in the state, with 7 associates, 16 bachelors, and 19 masters.) Further, students willing to cross state lines will find a bevy of opportunities in Massachusetts, including: UMass Lowell; Middlesex Community College; North Shore Community College and Endicott College in Salem; and over a half-dozen in and around Boston, including Brandeis University, Lasell College, Northeastern University, Simmons College, Wheelock College, and Boston University, among others.

There are 3 schools offering online degrees in the Greater Concord Area: Granite State College, NHTI-Concord's Community College, and the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Of these, Granite State is the second largest in the state, with 28 distance programs — 5 associates, 20 bachelors, 3 masters — across a diverse range of disciplines: Business, Education, Healthcare, Public Administration, Information Technology, Management, and the Humanities, among others. NHTI offers the second most associate-level tracks, including Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, and Hospitality And Tourism Management. Just a short drive away, New England College, in Henniker, offers 9 online options, and Southern New Hampshire University, University of New Hampshire at Manchester, and Manchester Community College are options to the south. From there, UNH, Antioch University, and Plymouth State are also available.

The Best Online Colleges in New Hampshire

Monitoring the accreditation of a university you are interested in attending is incredibly important. Accreditation ensures your credits can transfer, that you can receive Federal financial aid, and most importantly that certain standards of educational quality are met during your schooling. The highest accreditation standard for most programs in the United States is provided by regional accreditation agencies. The regional accrediting agency for New Hampshire is the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, one of six regional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Making sure that a University you're hoping to attend is regionally accredited — or accredited by a real and respected accrediting agency — is one of the most important choices you can make in ensuring the quality of your education.

Three Steps for Securing Financial Aid

• Submit your FAFSA.

• Check to see if additional forms are needed at your university of choice.

• Search and apply for private scholarships.

Through the previous three steps most students find themselves offered some sort of federal grant, work study, private grant, scholarship, or stipend.

Great New Hampshire Higher Education Resources

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