Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in New Hampshire
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in New Hampshire4 schools
4 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in New Hampshire.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
Manchester, NH · PublicTop 15% for low net price
- Pays back in about 2.2 years
- Earnings $66,479 ten years out
- 2
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in New Hampshire
- Pays back in about 2.4 years
- Earnings $97,434 ten years out
- 3
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH · PublicTop 13% for graduation
- Pays back in about 5.3 years
- Earnings $66,479 ten years out
- 4
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- Pays back in about 5.6 years
- Earnings $73,371 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of New Hampshire at Manchester | About $10,000 | $26,814 | $66,479 | 50% |
| Dartmouth College | About $30,000 | $17,500 | $97,434 | 96% |
| University of New Hampshire | About $24,000 | $26,814 | $66,479 | 76% |
| Saint Anselm College | About $35,000 | $27,000 | $73,371 | 80% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13

