Southern New Hampshire University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Manchester, New Hampshire. It enrolls 163,164 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
41/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes15
Value4
Affordability45
Selectivity1
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 99.5%, Southern New Hampshire University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
99.5%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Southern New Hampshire University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
8.0 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Southern New Hampshire University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $36,708 per year. That's above the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$36,708
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
49%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
58%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$17,200
Room & Board (on-campus)
$12,800
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,252
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$9,888
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$12,242
Total Cost of Attendance
$40,918
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$36,441
$30,001 – $48,000
$36,536
$48,001 – $75,000
$36,641
$75,001 – $110,000
$37,704
Over $110,000
$38,025
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,58310%percentile
$3,16625%percentile
$21,082Medianpercentile
$13,85075%percentile
$23,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,419
↓ $11,663
No Pell $8,695
↓ $12,387
Dependent students $6,500
↓ $14,582
Independent students $9,499
↓ $11,583
Female students $9,419
↓ $11,663
Male students $8,459
↓ $12,623
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,332, less than completers ($21,082), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
30% of full-time students who enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University graduate within six years, and 61% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
30%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
61%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Southern New Hampshire University earn a median of $50,318 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$50,318
Earning > $25K
75%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$44,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$58,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$41,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$50,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$54,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $14,400, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
14.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 85% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Southern New Hampshire University is home to 163,164 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 48% are first-generation college students, 67% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
163,164
Part-Time
67%
First-Generation
48%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 49.8%81,223
Black 19.9%32,437
Hispanic 15.2%24,768
Other 5.2%8,533
Asian 2.3%3,785
International 0.5%832
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southern New Hampshire University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize SuburbManchester, New Hampshire
Housing
Limited on-campus housing1,789 beds
Adult Learners
75%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Southern New Hampshire University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
104 distinct programs across
21 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southern New Hampshire University is 24:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
24:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$1.2B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$87,141
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
129 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
41
32%
$109,672
Associate Professors
38
29%
$81,787
Assistant Professors
38
29%
$75,238
Instructors
8
6%
$72,509
Lecturers
4
3%
$49,410
Pros & Cons of Southern New Hampshire University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Southern New Hampshire University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Wide variety of programs and student life
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
High net price compared to most US colleges
Larger class sizes than typical
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Southern New Hampshire University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern New Hampshire University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Southern New Hampshire University.
Is Southern New Hampshire University hard to get into?
Southern New Hampshire University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 99.5%.
What is the acceptance rate at Southern New Hampshire University?
Southern New Hampshire University has an acceptance rate of 99.5%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Southern New Hampshire University cost?
The average net price after aid at Southern New Hampshire University is $36,708 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southern New Hampshire University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $50,318 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $36,708 per year. That's roughly 1.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southern New Hampshire University known for?
Southern New Hampshire University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Business Administration, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Southern New Hampshire University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Southern New Hampshire University are $50,318, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Southern New Hampshire University accredited?
Yes. Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Southern New Hampshire University?
Southern New Hampshire University enrolls 163,164 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Southern New Hampshire University?
Southern New Hampshire University graduates 30% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Southern New Hampshire University a public or private college?
Southern New Hampshire University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Southern New Hampshire University located?
Southern New Hampshire University is located in Manchester, New Hampshire.
What programs does Southern New Hampshire University offer?
Southern New Hampshire University offers 104 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Business Administration, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southern New Hampshire University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southern New Hampshire University is 24:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in New Hampshire
Other colleges in New Hampshire share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
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Higher education data
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College enrollment
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Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
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For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Rankings That Feature Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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