Tuition to stay the same at N.H. community colleges

Eileen O'Grady
·2 min read
Great Bay Community College's Portsmouth campus is at Pease International Tradeport.
Great Bay Community College's Portsmouth campus is at Pease International Tradeport.

Tuition will not increase at any of New Hampshire’s seven community colleges this year after trustees voted to freeze tuition for the fourth year in a row. The Community College System of New Hampshire’s Board of Trustees decided to keep tuition at the same rates since 2018 to prioritize affordable education and training.

At New Hampshire’s community colleges, in-state students currently pay $215 per credit hour, which is $6,450 a year for a full-time course load. Out-of-state and international students pay $490 per credit, which is $14,700 a year with full course load. The organization says that its tuition is approximately 24% lower in 2022 than it was in 2011, with inflation.

“CCSNH has worked aggressively to control costs and keep higher education financially within reach, as part of its mission to ensure New Hampshire residents have affordable opportunities to remain in the state for college and careers,” said Katharine Bogle Shields, chair of the CCSNH Board of Trustees.

More: Great Bay Community College celebrates Class of 2022 at 76th commencement ceremony

The vote on tuition for the 2022-23 school year formalizes a commitment that CCSNH made to the New Hampshire legislature last year. In January, the University System of New Hampshire also announced a tuition freeze for the 2022-2023 school year, the fourth year in a row.

Among New Hampshire community college students, 93% are Granite Staters, and many remain in the state to work after graduation. The community colleges offer associate degree programs in a range of fields that align with student demand and employment opportunities, as well as short-term certificate programs.  The colleges also offer liberal arts programs for students looking to continue their education at the baccalaureate level.

CCSNH expects to have a full slate of on-campus operations this fall, and also offers online course options.

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Tuition to stay the same at N.H. community colleges