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University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

#6 Best Bachelor's Programs in New Hampshire
Public Durham, NH · Town · New England · 100% data
A Earnings B+ Graduation C+ Value
Graduation Rate
76% B+
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$66,479 A
Top 9% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$23,805 D
39% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
88% D+
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +63% vs avg
Graduation +33% vs avg
Net Price 39% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 18.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.3 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Bachelor's Programs in New Hampshire.

18.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $18.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,649,587.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduates earn 63% more than the national college median.

  3. A 76% graduation rate — 33% above the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $18.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why University of New Hampshire Matters

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus is a public research university in Durham, NH and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 9% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
11,261
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Health Professions, Psychology

Why students choose University of New Hampshire

Strong STEM core
A heavy concentration in technical fields
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 9% of colleges

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 46% overall
A
Earnings
$66,479 median
C+
Value
2.8× net price
D
Affordability
$23,805/yr net
B+
Graduation
76% graduate
D+
Selectivity
88% admit rate
F
Diversity
0.27 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of over 11,000 students, the University of New Hampshire-Main Campus is a great fit for those who thrive in a vibrant, public university setting. Its acceptance rate of 88% means that many students can find a welcoming environment here. Students often dive into programs like Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Health Professions, Engineering, and Psychology, allowing them to explore diverse fields and find their passion.

Looking at life after graduation, graduates from UNH enjoy a median earning of $66,479 ten years after they finish their degrees. While we don’t have specific mobility rates, this earning potential indicates that many find opportunities that enhance their career paths. It’s also worth noting that the cost of attendance is manageable, with a net price of $23,805, which makes it more accessible for a broad range of students.

When it comes to finances, students leave with a median debt of $26,814, which is a figure that many prospective students should consider. Given that only 18% of students receive Pell Grants, you'll find a mix of financial backgrounds here. Those who tend to thrive at UNH are often proactive and engaged, ready to take advantage of the university's resources and community.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of New Hampshire-Main Campus is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of New Hampshire-Main Campus? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Durham, New Hampshire, University of New Hampshire-Main Campus admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 88%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,218. The graduation rate is roughly 76%.

Acceptance Rate
88%
Retention Rate
87%
SAT Average
1218
ACT Midpoint
28
SAT Range
1090–1330
ACT Range
26–30
Full-Time Faculty
74%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$12,271
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.27
First-Gen Students
17%
Applicants
21,016
Admitted
18,281

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of New Hampshire-Main Campus is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds.

Submitted SAT
23%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
2%
of enrolled freshmen

Test-optional, in practice. Only about 25% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.

Source: University of New Hampshire-Main Campus's Common Data Set, 2024-25 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of New Hampshire-Main Campus? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus is $39,852, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $23,805. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,523 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,814 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$19,202
Out-of-State
$39,852
Avg Net Price
$23,805
Median Debt
$26,814
Pell Grant Rate
18%
Federal Loan Rate
57%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$16,523
Family Income $30K–$48K
$17,476
Family Income $48K–$75K
$19,446
Family Income $110K+
$28,588

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of New Hampshire-Main Campus earn a median of $66,479, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$53,671
8 Years
$58,415
10 Years
$66,479
Debt-to-Earnings
0.4x
Earning > $25K
78%

Earnings Trajectory

$53,671 6yr $58,415 8yr $66,479 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (2,148)
69%
100% (2,148)
69%
100% (2,148)
69%
100% (2,148)
69%

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation76%Earnings 10yr$66KNet Price$24KRetention87%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate18%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$17K$0-30K$17K$30-48K$19K$48-75K$29K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, University of New Hampshire-Main Campus delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $23,805/year ($95,220 total). Graduates earn $66,479 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,744,807 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,649,587 (18.3× your investment). The median debt is $26,814, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 76% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$95,220
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,744,807
Net Return
$1,649,587
ROI Multiple
18.3×
Cost Per Year
$23,805
Median Debt
$26,814
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
76%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.78
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.00
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.8%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-37,155,599

Top Programs

The fields University of New Hampshire-Main Campus awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of New Hampshire-Main Campus? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Durham, New Hampshire, University of New Hampshire-Main Campus admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 88%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,218. The graduation rate is roughly 76%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of New Hampshire-Main Campus? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus is $39,852, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $23,805. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,523 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,814 in federal student loans.

Is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of New Hampshire-Main Campus earn a median of $66,479, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

How Connected Is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Does University of New Hampshire-Main Campus offer Early Decision?

No. University of New Hampshire-Main Campus does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).

Is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus really test-optional?

In practice, yes. Only about 25% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus (2024-25 Common Data Set).

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys