loading 6,000+ schools…
Manchester, NH · Nashua, NH
| Southern New Hampshire University | Rivier University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $36,708/yr | $28,082/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $36,441/yr | $23,321/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,082 | $26,956 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $36,536/yr | $23,978/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $36,641/yr | $25,106/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $37,704/yr | $27,352/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $38,025/yr | $31,359/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $224/mo | $286/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $12,800/yr | $15,636/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $14,252/yr | $13,060/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,500/yr | $1,400/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $9,888/yr | $2,450/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $40,918/yr | $53,499/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $17,200/yr | $39,488/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $17,200/yr | $39,488/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 49% | 28% |
| Students taking federal loans | 58% | 70% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 100% | 83% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1055–1175 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1070 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 45,127 | 1,749 |
| Students accepted | 43,377 | 1,430 |
| Students who enrolled | 15,345 | 292 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 35% | 20% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 43% | 52% |
| Freshmen who come back | 61% | 76% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $50,318/yr | $52,248/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $29,434–$75,732 | $35,475–$70,095 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 34% | 62% |
| White students graduating | 46% | 55% |
| Black students graduating | 28% | 20% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 40% | 46% |
| Asian students graduating | 48% | 33% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $41,945/yr | $54,599/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 77% | 76% |
| Graduate on time | 34% | 45% |
| Pell students who graduate | 31% | 36% |
| First-gen students who finish | 29% | 48% |
| Low-income students who finish | 21% | 44% |
| Students who transfer out | 18% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $43,845/yr | $47,442/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 35% · Computer & Information Sciences 14% · Psychology 12% | Health Professions 60% · Business, Management & Marketing 14% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 7% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 35% of degrees | Health Professions — 60% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 14% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 14% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Psychology — 12% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 8% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 5% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Health Professions — 8% of degrees | Education — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods — $88,717/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $109,598/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 15% | 6.7% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 163,164 | 1,231 |
| Students per professor | 24 : 1 | 14 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 25,108 | 1,525 |
| Average professor pay | $9,805/mo | $8,174/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 31% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $27,192 | $62,990 |
| Setting | Suburb (midsize) | City (small) |
| Location | Manchester, NH | Nashua, NH |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1932 | 1933 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.5% | 0% |
| Men | 37% | 27% |
| Women | 63% | 73% |
| White students | 50% | 72% |
| Black students | 20% | 9.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 15% | 7.4% |
| Asian students | 2.3% | 3.9% |
| Two or more races | 4.2% | 2.5% |
| Other / not reported | 8.1% | 4.5% |
| Special type | None | Religiously affiliated |
| First-generation students | 48% | 37% |
| Part-time students | 67% | 21% |
| Students age 25+ | 75% | 25% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $1,594/yr | $7,547/yr |
| Endowment | $64.6M | $41.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 1,789 | 495 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,000/yr | $8,604/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $3,800/yr | $6,856/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | No data reported | Roman Catholic |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division II without football | NCAA Division III without football |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 15 |
| Student athletes | 409 | 321 |
| Athletic scholarships | $2.2M | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $8.6M | $2.6M |
| Athletics revenue | $8.6M | $2.6M |
| Recruiting spend | $51,059 | $21,821 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.