Best Bachelor's in Elementary Education Programs in New Hampshire
All 7 Elementary Education bachelor's-level programs in New Hampshire, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
A bachelor's in elementary education is the standard credential behind a New Hampshire teaching license, and New Hampshire has 7 accredited elementary education bachelor's programs to compare. This ranking scores every one on the outcomes that actually affect your return: graduation rate, in-state affordability, and selectivity, all pulled from the public federal IPEDS database. Saint Anselm College ranks first with a score of 80, on a 80 percent graduation rate.
Elementary school teachers in New Hampshire earn a median of $72,410 a year according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, against a national median of $63,970. Each section below covers a specific decision point, cost and real ROI, New Hampshire licensure, accreditation, online and accelerated formats, and career outlook, so you can compare elementary education programs in New Hampshire on the factors that change your outcome rather than on marketing.
- 1
Saint Anselm College
80score- 80%Grad rate
- $47,400/yrTuition (in or out of state)
- 78%Admit rate
- 2,094Undergrads
- 20Grads/yr
- 1194SAT mid
- Bachelor of Science
- On-campus
About the programSaint Anselm College offers a Bachelor of Science in elementary education through its Education and Teacher Education Program. The degree is delivered on campus in a residential setting and serves as a licensure pathway, preparing students for teacher certification. Grounded in the college's education program, it combines study of teaching and learning with preparation for work in the elementary classroom. Among New Hampshire's 7 ranked bachelor's-level programs, this one posts the highest graduation rate at 80%. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageIts rank is built from three numbers: graduation rate, admission rate, and in-state tuition, in that order of weight. Its strongest card is completion: a 80% graduation rate lands it in the top 1% of New Hampshire programs, and since finishing counts for the most, that does much of the work. A 78% admission rate makes it moderately selective, neither a gatekeeper nor open enrollment. The one drag is price, $47,400 in state, above the New Hampshire median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 2
Keene State College
77score- 60%Grad rate
- $11,754/yrIn-state tuition
- $23,810/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 90%Admit rate
- 2,725Undergrads
- 30Grads/yr
- Education, Elementary (B.S.)
- NCATE-accredited
- On-campus
About the programKeene State College's Elementary Education B.S. is an on-campus program in the Education Department that leads to New Hampshire Elementary Education (K-6) teacher certification. Because the state emphasizes depth of content knowledge, students pair the major with a required liberal arts dual major chosen from a range of disciplines. They complete student teaching along with field experiences throughout the program, and a K-8 recommendation is available with a content concentration. The program is NCATE accredited. It carries the lowest in-state tuition among New Hampshire's 7 ranked bachelor's-level programs, at $11,754. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of New Hampshire's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageIts place on the list comes down to outcomes, selectivity, and price, weighted in that order. Start with the outcome that matters most, 60% of students graduate, top 17% among New Hampshire programs, which is the biggest reason it sits where it does. Admission is close to open access at 90%, so this is a program that bets on teaching students well rather than screening them out. Cost only helps its case: at $11,754 in state, tuition runs below the New Hampshire median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 3
Plymouth State University
53score- 52%Grad rate
- $11,870/yrIn-state tuition
- $22,810/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 88%Admit rate
- 3,182Undergrads
- 48Grads/yr
- Elementary Education & Youth Development
- Hybrid
About the programPlymouth State University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education & Youth Development, offered through the School of Education, leads to New Hampshire K-8 certification through its Teacher Certification Option and lets students focus a content concentration in English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies. The program is unusually immersive, starting field experiences in the very first semester and requiring 200 hours of clinical work before candidates step into a 70-day student teaching internship. That internship takes place in a Professional Development School using a co-teaching model, so students share real classroom responsibility with an experienced mentor rather than observing from the margins. For place-bound students in the region, the North Country Teacher Certification Program, run with White Mountains Community College, opens a route to the same degree and certification. The 120-credit program is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education. It awards more bachelor's-level elementary education degrees than any of New Hampshire's 7 ranked bachelor's-level programs, 48 in the most recent year. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of New Hampshire's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageWe rank on the things that actually shape a teaching degree: whether students finish, how hard it is to get in, and the price of admission. On completion, the heaviest factor, it lands mid-pack among New Hampshire programs at 52%, solid without being a standout. Admission is close to open access at 88%, so this is a program that bets on teaching students well rather than screening them out. Cost only helps its case: at $11,870 in state, tuition runs below the New Hampshire median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 4
Rivier University
48score- 52%Grad rate
- $38,078/yrTuition (in or out of state)
- 83%Admit rate
- 1,252Undergrads
- 4Grads/yr
- 1116SAT mid
- B.A. in Elementary Education
- On-campus
About the programRivier University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, housed in the Department of Education and Leadership, gets candidates into schools from freshman year and keeps them there, culminating in a full semester of student teaching. Coursework connects the practical and the theoretical, moving through curriculum development, instructional strategies, classroom technology, the design of learning environments, and the disciplinary content teachers actually deliver. One of the program's most notable strengths is reach: under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, graduates are eligible for certification across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and several Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. For students who want to move faster, Rivier also offers a separate three-year, 90-credit Applied B.A. track that embeds a practicum every semester in a Nashua-area school, blending steady classroom immersion with an accelerated timeline. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of New Hampshire's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThree things decide where a program lands on this list: how many students finish, how selective it is, and what it costs. On completion, the heaviest factor, it lands mid-pack among New Hampshire programs at 52%, solid without being a standout. A 83% admission rate makes it moderately selective, neither a gatekeeper nor open enrollment. The one drag is price, $38,078 in state, above the New Hampshire median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 5
Franklin Pierce University
42score- 54%Grad rate
- $41,836/yrTuition (in or out of state)
- 93%Admit rate
- 997Undergrads
- 10Grads/yr
- 1170SAT mid
- Elementary Education Major (K-6 or K-8)
- On-campus
About the programFranklin Pierce University's Elementary Education major, taught on campus in Rindge through the School of Education, leads to recommendation for New Hampshire State Educator Certification and lets candidates tailor their reach from the start. Students pick either a K-6 or a K-8 certification track, and those aiming at the upper grades build depth through a content concentration of at least 15 credits in an area such as English, mathematics, or science. Rather than saving practice for the end, the roughly 120-credit, four-year program threads classroom observation and student teaching throughout, so candidates are watching and working in schools well before their final year. Everything converges in a fourth-year student teaching seminar paired with a 14-credit placement. Certification is approved by the New Hampshire State Department of Education, and because out-of-state reciprocity is not guaranteed, students planning to teach elsewhere should confirm each state's requirements. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageWe rank on the things that actually shape a teaching degree: whether students finish, how hard it is to get in, and the price of admission. Its strongest card is completion: a 54% graduation rate lands it in the top 33% of New Hampshire programs, and since finishing counts for the most, that does much of the work. Admission is close to open access at 93%, so this is a program that bets on teaching students well rather than screening them out. The one drag is price, $41,836 in state, above the New Hampshire median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. Strong on the measures that matter most, it earns a place near the top.
- 6
Southern New Hampshire University
22score- 43%Grad rate
- $16,200/yrTuition (in or out of state)
- 100%Admit rate
- 164,423Undergrads
- 2Grads/yr
- Education for Licensure, Elementary Education Track
- On-campus
About the programAt Southern New Hampshire University, the Bachelor of Arts in Education for Licensure with an Elementary Education track is built for students who want to lead their own K-6 or K-8 classroom, and it keeps that goal in view from early on. Taught on campus through the School of Arts, Sciences and Education, the program lets candidates shape their focus by choosing up to two concentrations, whether that means adding a General Special Education emphasis or, for the K-8 route, a middle-school subject such as English, mathematics, science, or social studies. The heart of the degree is a year-long clinical student teaching experience in a public P-12 classroom during the senior year, so theory and practice grow together rather than in isolation. Accredited at the initial licensure level by CAEP, it offers a structured, hands-on path into elementary teaching. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of New Hampshire's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThree things decide where a program lands on this list: how many students finish, how selective it is, and what it costs. The sticking point is completion, the factor we weigh most heavily: at 43% the graduation rate trails the New Hampshire median, which caps how high it can climb. Admission is close to open access at 100%, so this is a program that bets on teaching students well rather than screening them out. Cost only helps its case: at $16,200 in state, tuition runs below the New Hampshire median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. No single weakness drags it down, and that consistency lands it in the upper tier.
- 7
New England College
20score- 35%Grad rate
- $25,714/yrTuition (in or out of state)
- 92%Admit rate
- 1,032Undergrads
- 2Grads/yr
- Bachelor of Arts in Education: Elementary Education K-6 Licensure
- Online
About the programNew England College delivers an online Bachelor of Arts in Education leading to Elementary Education K-6 licensure, taught asynchronously within Humanities and Education. The program combines an education core, K-6 curriculum coursework, and a liberal arts and sciences foundation, and students complete a fieldwork practicum and student teaching with an assigned cooperating teacher. Approved by the New Hampshire State Board of Education, the program leads to K-6 teacher licensure. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThe ranking rewards programs that graduate their students, stay at least somewhat selective, and keep tuition reasonable, so here is how this one measures up. The sticking point is completion, the factor we weigh most heavily: at 35% the graduation rate trails the New Hampshire median, which caps how high it can climb. Admission is close to open access at 92%, so this is a program that bets on teaching students well rather than screening them out. Tuition is middle of the road for New Hampshire programs at $25,714 in state, so cost neither helps nor hurts its standing. On balance it is a well-rounded pick, which is what earns it a spot this high.
Key facts about a bachelor's in Elementary Education in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire has 7 accredited bachelor's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- Saint Anselm College ranks first among elementary education bachelor's programs in New Hampshire with a score of 80, on a 80 percent graduation rate.
- Keene State College is the most affordable bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire, at $11,754 a year in-state tuition.
- Elementary school teachers in New Hampshire earn a median of $72,410 a year (BLS), ranking New Hampshire 19 of 51 states and territories for the occupation.
- 1 of the bachelor's in elementary education programs in New Hampshire offer an online or hybrid option.
- New Hampshire requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Credentialing, to earn a teaching license.
What a bachelor's in elementary education costs in New Hampshire (2026)
Published in-state tuition for a bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire runs from $11,754 to $47,400 a year across the 7 programs we rank, with a median of $25,714. The most affordable is Keene State College at $11,754 a year. These are published sticker rates from IPEDS; most future teachers bring the net figure down with the Pell Grant, the federal TEACH Grant, and state teacher-preparation aid, so weigh net price, not the sticker.
Cost only means something next to completion. The elementary education programs ranked here average a 54 percent graduation rate, and a lower-priced program where fewer students finish is not necessarily the cheaper path to a degree. Compare tuition and graduation rate together above.
Sources: IPEDS tuition data
What elementary school teachers earn in New Hampshire
Elementary school teachers in New Hampshire earn a median of $72,410 a year, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), compared with a national median of $63,970. That ranks New Hampshire 19 of 51 states and territories for elementary school teachers pay. Nationally, pay for this occupation spans roughly $47,960 at the 10th percentile to $104,340 at the 90th, with a master's degree, years in the classroom, and the local district salary schedule driving the climb.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 2 percent decline in elementary school teachers employment nationally from 2024 to 2034, with about 103,800 openings a year as teachers retire or change careers. A bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire is the entry point to that market, not the ceiling.
How to get a New Hampshire teaching license
To teach in New Hampshire you need a bachelor's in elementary education (or a bachelor's plus an approved preparation program), a supervised student-teaching placement, and a New Hampshire teaching license issued by New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Credentialing. New Hampshire calls the initial credential the Beginning Educator License, and earning it means passing Praxis (The Praxis Series) plus a background check.
Elementary and reading educators must also pass the Pearson Foundations of Reading test in addition to Praxis exams. Confirm your program is currently state-approved before you enroll.
Choosing an accredited elementary education program in New Hampshire
Pick a bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire that is regionally accredited and whose educator-preparation program is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education, ideally with CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) accreditation. State approval is what lets the degree count toward a New Hampshire teaching license, and CAEP is the national standard for program quality, so confirm both before enrolling in any elementary education program in New Hampshire.
Sources: CAEP accreditation
Online and hybrid elementary education programs in New Hampshire
1 of the bachelor's in elementary education programs in New Hampshire offer an online or hybrid option. Online teacher-preparation still requires in-person student teaching, so these formats suit working adults and career changers who can complete supervised classroom hours locally while taking coursework online. An online bachelor's in elementary education from a state-approved, CAEP-accredited program leads to the same New Hampshire teaching license as an on-campus degree; the diploma does not distinguish the format.
Frequently asked questions about a bachelor's in Elementary Education in New Hampshire
How many bachelor's in elementary education programs are in New Hampshire?
There are 7 accredited bachelor's in elementary education programs in New Hampshire in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
What is the most affordable bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire?
Keene State College is the most affordable bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire, at $11,754 a year in in-state tuition.
How much do elementary school teachers make in New Hampshire?
Elementary school teachers in New Hampshire earn a median of $72,410 a year, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes252021.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics</a>, versus $63,970 nationally.
What exam do you need to teach in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire requires the Praxis (The Praxis Series) licensure exam, administered for New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Credentialing. See the <a href="https://praxis.ets.org/state-requirements/newhampshire-overview.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">official exam page</a> for current test requirements.
Is a bachelor's in elementary education worth it in New Hampshire?
For most future teachers, yes. A bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire is the standard credential for a New Hampshire teaching license, and it leads to a median elementary school teachers salary of $72,410 a year in New Hampshire. Compare graduation rate and net price above to find the best value in 2026.
These are the best bachelor's in elementary education programs in New Hampshire for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 7 bachelor's in elementary education in New Hampshire above by graduation rate, tuition, and selectivity, then open each program page to take the next step toward teaching in an elementary school classroom in New Hampshire.