List of Private Universities & Colleges in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is the 10th least populous state in America while being the 5^th smallest by land area. Despite the size of the state, it is home to over four dozen colleges and universities. Private colleges in the state of New Hampshire are highly respected, garnering national acclaim for academics and research. At the top of the list is Dartmouth College earning accolades for academics in national and regional rankings year over year. Also on the list of top private colleges in the state are Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), Franklin Pierce University, and New Hampshire Institute of Art.

New Hampshire Private College Differences

A private university is a school that does not accept state funds; rather, they function through donations, tuition, and internal operations. Private colleges will typically provide students with a smaller class size, increased faculty communication, and a lower student to teacher ratio compared to state colleges. Private colleges have also traditionally provided very competitive financial aid packages to qualifying students. In fact, our recent report reveals private school tuition discounts have reached an all-time high. With more generous financial aid, private colleges may be closer within reach for more qualifying students as top-tier schools compete for top talent from across the nation.

List of Large 4-Year Private Universities in New Hampshire

There are 5 large private universities in our database for New Hampshire. Follow the links below to get more details about each school.

Large Universities with Research Facilities or Faculty

The universities listed below offer many diverse academic programs, have a large student body, and usually have research facilities or faculty involved with research. These schools very often have graduate and professional programs as well.

Large Primarily Academic Universities

Each university listed below offers a diverse set of degrees and programs, unlike the research universities listed above, these schools contain little to no research activity on campus and are primarily academic.

• Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH
• New England College (NEC) in Henniker, NH
• Rivier College in Nashua, NH
• Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in Manchester, NH

Small to Medium Sized 4-Year Universities

The 4-year schools listed below have a small to medium sized student body and may offer a wide range of associate and bachelor's degrees. Get more information about each school by clicking the links below.

• Colby - Sawyer College (Colby-Sawyer) in New London, NH
• Daniel Webster College (DWC) in Nashua, NH
• Mount Washington College in Manchester, NH
• Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH

4-Year Colleges with a Special Focus on an Area of Study

The schools below are grouped by their special area of focus. To learn about admissions, tuition & fees, programs offered, and more click on the school names below.

Schools of Art, Music, and Design

• New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, NH

Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both New Hampshire in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective school for information about the current school year.

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2015: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.