Best RN Programs in New Hampshire for 2026

The University of New Hampshire offers a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing at its Durham campus, built on 128 credit hours across 31 courses. The curriculum is aligned with the AACN Essentials and moves students through population health, health equity, informatics, and interprofessional collaboration before a senior-year precepted capstone. That capstone pairs each student with an experienced RN to develop care prioritization, leadership, and time management ahead of entry-level practice. The program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

UNH's Hakia Score of 82.4 leads all New Hampshire programs in this ranking. The program admits 88% of applicants, so the barrier to entry is access-oriented rather than selective. Graduation rate sits at 76%. In-state tuition is $15,520 per year; out-of-state students pay $36,170, a $20,650 gap that makes residency status a real decision factor. Simulation is integrated across all four years through a state-of-the-art center using high-fidelity mannequins and guided debriefing. Clinical placements span acute care, primary care, mental health, and long-term care through partnerships with regional health systems. Registered nurses earn a national median of $97,550 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

An optional Honors in Major track is available for students seeking advanced scholarship and mentorship. UNH is the strongest public option in the state for NH residents who want a research-active environment, clinical variety, and a lower net cost compared to private alternatives.

Saint Anselm College in Manchester offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing grounded in its Catholic and Benedictine liberal arts tradition. The program integrates nursing with humanities, arts, and sciences rather than treating professional training as separate from general education. The college's nursing program falls within an institution the school reports is ranked #89 among National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News and World Report. Enrollment is small at 2,111 students, which means nursing cohorts are tighter and faculty access is closer than at a large state university.

Saint Anselm's Hakia Score of 81.9 ranks it second in New Hampshire. The 80% graduation rate is the highest of any program in this ranking. Admit rate is 78%, making it modestly more selective than the public options on this list. Tuition is $47,400 per year for all students regardless of residency, which is the primary tradeoff: there is no in-state discount. Students paying full price are buying a smaller community, tighter faculty relationships, and the liberal arts integration. The school reports that 99% of identified 2025 graduates are employed, pursuing further education, serving in the military, or volunteering, though this figure covers all majors, not nursing specifically. Registered nurses nationally earn a median of $97,550 per year per the BLS.

Saint Anselm fits students who want a values-driven, small-college environment and can absorb the private tuition. The 80% graduation rate signals strong student support relative to program size. It is not the lowest-cost path to an RN license in New Hampshire, but the completion data suggests students who enroll finish.

Colby-Sawyer College in New London offers a four-year, immersive Bachelor of Science in Nursing that the school positions as one of New Hampshire's top-performing undergraduate nursing programs. The program is CCNE-accredited at the baccalaureate level and pairs campus simulation labs with clinical rotations at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, a teaching hospital partnership the school highlights as central to the program's clinical depth. The Janet Udall Schaefer '52 Center for Health Sciences on campus houses hospital-grade simulation equipment. Colby-Sawyer also offers master's and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs, so students who want to continue into graduate study can do so within the same institution.

Colby-Sawyer's Hakia Score is 74.7. The 57% graduation rate is the lowest in this ranking and is a meaningful consideration: fewer than 6 in 10 enrolled students complete the program. Admit rate is 80%, so access is not the constraint. Tuition is $18,025 per year with no in-state/out-of-state difference, which undercuts Saint Anselm's private pricing considerably. The school cites above-state and above-national first-time NCLEX pass rates for its graduates, attributing this to NCLEX preparation integrated from the first nursing course; this claim comes from the program's own page and has not been independently verified by Hakia. A full-ride scholarship (the John and Heidi Grey Niblack '68 Nursing Scholarship) is available for qualifying incoming BSN students, with eight awards each in fall 2026 and fall 2027.

Colby-Sawyer suits students drawn to a small, close-knit campus (972 total enrollment), strong clinical access through Dartmouth Hitchcock, and a private-school experience at below-$20,000 tuition. The graduation rate gap relative to UNH and Saint Anselm warrants scrutiny during the visit and enrollment process. National median RN salary is $97,550 per the BLS.

Keene State College in Keene offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing through its standard four-year degree structure. The program sits within an institution that emphasizes both a liberal arts foundation and career-ready preparation. The 2026-2027 academic catalog describes Keene State's overall curriculum as designed for exploration across arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences alongside applied programs. The nursing program page available from the catalog does not provide detail on tracks, simulation facilities, clinical partnerships, or accreditation status beyond the degree listing, so those specifics cannot be confirmed here.

Keene State's Hakia Score is 72, placing it fourth in this New Hampshire ranking. It holds the lowest in-state tuition in the group at $11,754 per year; out-of-state students pay $23,810, a $12,056 difference. The admit rate is 90%, the most open of any program listed, meaning nearly all applicants who meet requirements gain entry. The 60% graduation rate is low and close to Colby-Sawyer's 57%, suggesting that students should ask pointed questions about academic support, clinical seat availability, and program progression requirements during the admissions process. Total enrollment is 2,848, putting it between UNH's large campus and Colby-Sawyer's small one. Registered nurses nationally earn a median of $97,550 per year per the BLS.

Keene State is the right starting point for NH residents who need the lowest possible tuition and the fewest admission barriers. The cost advantage over UNH ($3,766 per year cheaper in-state) is real, but the lower Hakia Score and 60% graduation rate mean students should weigh cost against program outcomes before committing.

Plymouth State University offers a traditional on-campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the New Hampshire Board of Nursing. The program also includes an Allied Health Sciences Pre-Nursing option for students who need to strengthen their prerequisites before entering the nursing major, and a newer RN-to-BSN completion track that accepts 60 to 90 transfer credits toward the 120 required for graduation. The RN-to-BSN courses are held on campus with an option to attend remotely via Zoom, giving working nurses some scheduling flexibility.

PSU's Hakia Score of 70 reflects a combination of accessibility and modest completion outcomes: the school admits 88% of applicants and charges $11,870 per year in-state, making it one of the more affordable entry points into nursing in New Hampshire. Graduation rate sits at 52%, so prospective students should be clear-eyed about the academic demands of the program. The school reports a 100% NCLEX pass rate and a #1 New Hampshire nursing program ranking from registerednursing.org, though those figures come from the school's own program page and are not independently verified here. The program is structured around AACN Essentials competencies, with stated goals in evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, and clinical judgment. Registered nurses nationally earn a median of $97,550 per year according to the BLS OEWS.

Franklin Pierce University's School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science for Registered Nurses (RN-to-BSN) program designed for nurses who already hold an active RN license and an associate degree or diploma in nursing. The program awards 30 credits automatically for an active nursing license, and students can transfer additional nursing coursework from regionally accredited institutions. Part-time and full-time enrollment are both available. The curriculum covers 30 major credit hours including courses in evidence-based practice, health policy, community health nursing (two courses), and a leadership capstone with a seminar and project component.

At a Hakia Score of 67.5, Franklin Pierce ranks sixth among New Hampshire nursing programs in this list. The school admits 93% of applicants, and with a single flat tuition rate of $41,836 regardless of residency, it is the most expensive option in this group. That cost reflects its private nonprofit status and is a meaningful tradeoff against the flexibility it offers. Graduation rate is 54%, the highest among the four programs shown here. The program is online-compatible, which matters for nurses managing full-time work schedules. The BLS OEWS reports a national median of $97,550 per year for registered nurses, providing context for the long-term return on tuition investment.

Southern New Hampshire University offers a fully online RN-to-BSN program structured in 8-week terms across 40 courses totaling 120 credits. The program is built exclusively for registered nurses: SNHU awards 45 credits for an unencumbered RN license and accepts up to 45 additional transfer credits, meaning a nurse transferring the maximum 90 credits could enter with 75% of the degree already satisfied. Coursework covers population health, clinical judgment, quality improvement, nursing research, leadership, and a professional identity capstone. The per-credit cost is $354, and tuition is the same for all students at $16,200 per year regardless of state of residence.

With a Hakia Score of 67.4 and an open admission policy (100% admit rate), SNHU is the most accessible program in this set. The tradeoff is completion: the graduation rate is 43%, the second lowest among these four programs. The program serves a massive enrollment base of 189,531 students across all programs, which shapes the experience. For a nurse who needs a BSN to meet employer or state requirements and wants to move at their own pace through an affordable online format, SNHU is a straightforward option. The BLS OEWS puts the national median wage for registered nurses at $97,550 per year.

The University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies offers an online RN-to-BSN Bachelor's Completion program for licensed registered nurses. The program requires an earned associate degree in nursing and an active RN license for full admission; students who have not yet met those criteria can begin conditionally and complete non-nursing coursework in the interim. The 120-credit curriculum is completed in approximately 14 nursing courses, with up to 90 credits accepted in transfer. Courses include Evidence-Based Nursing, The Nurse as Leader, Nursing Implications of Genetics and Genomics, Health Care Informatics, and a Nursing Practicum capstone. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

UNH CPS carries a Hakia Score of 60.7, the lowest in this group, driven in part by a 30% graduation rate that is the weakest of the four programs. No admit rate data is available in the program record. What UNH CPS offers in return is the lowest cost in this set: $7,536 per year in-state and $9,096 out-of-state, a meaningful gap versus private-nonprofit options. A minimum 30 credits must be completed at UNH, and students need a 2.0 cumulative GPA for degree conferral, with a C- or better required in all major coursework. For a New Hampshire-licensed nurse who wants a UNH credential at public-school rates and can manage the online format around a work schedule, the cost case is clear. The BLS OEWS reports a national median of $97,550 per year for registered nurses.