Best Master's in Elementary Education Programs in New Hampshire
All 4 Elementary Education master's-level programs in New Hampshire, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
A master's in elementary education can lead to initial New Hampshire licensure or advance a licensed teacher's career, and New Hampshire has 4 accredited elementary education master'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. University of New Hampshire-Main Campus ranks first with a score of 72, on a 76 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
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
72score- 22Master's/yr
- $98,060Metro teacher pay
- Elementary Education (M.Ed.)
- On-campus
About the programThis M.Ed. leads to initial New Hampshire licensure for candidates who plan to teach in elementary schools and already hold a bachelor's degree. It requires a minimum of 32 graduate credits and normally takes about two years for students without prior education coursework. The program centers on a full year of internship totaling 16 credits across fall and spring, with a required Master's Inquiry Project during the internship year. Education courses that satisfy licensure requirements must be passed with a B minus or better. The catalog lists this as a Durham campus in-person program. It awards more master's-level elementary education degrees than any of New Hampshire's 4 ranked master's-level programs, 22 in the most recent year. A master's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 22 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 2
Southern New Hampshire University
33score- 5Master's/yr
- $72,410State teacher pay
- Master of Education (MEd) in Elementary and Special Education (Dual Certification)
- On-campus
About the programSouthern New Hampshire University offers a campus-based Master of Education in Elementary and Special Education that prepares candidates for dual New Hampshire licensure, in elementary education for grades K-6 and in general special education for grades K-12. The full-time program moves quickly, packing four clinical placements and an immersive summer working directly with elementary students into about 13 months. It is a route to first-time teaching certification, and the university notes the program is state-approved but cannot guarantee licensure. A master's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageA master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 5 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New Hampshire statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $72,410, roughly $69,515 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 3
Franklin Pierce University
32score- 3Master's/yr
- $72,410State teacher pay
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education with Teacher Certification
About the programThis is an M.Ed. with New Hampshire teacher certification in Elementary Education, certifying candidates to teach K-6 or K-8. The full master plus certification path is 40 credits (an M.Ed.-only path is 36 credits, certification-only is 40). It is an initial licensure program: candidates complete 120 field hours across methods courses and a 16-week student teaching clinical, then must pass required content and skills exams for state recommendation. Programs are approved by the New Hampshire State Department of Education. A master's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageA master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New Hampshire statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $72,410, roughly $69,515 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 4
Rivier University
22score- 1Master's/yr
- $73,380Metro teacher pay
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education
- Hybrid
About the programRivier University's Master of Education in Elementary Education is a 39-credit program of about two years that leads to initial New Hampshire teacher licensure for those entering the field. Courses meet in late afternoon and evening on campus, with some online sections, and run in a mix of seven-week and fourteen-week terms that keep the sequence flexible for working adults. The curriculum spans the full reach of elementary teaching, from reading and literacy and mathematics across the grades to STEAM and social studies methods, human development, and instruction for exceptional students, before culminating in an internship and seminar that ready candidates for certification. Graduates become eligible for licensure under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which can ease movement between states. New Hampshire licensure is not automatic, though, and requires a separate application once the internship and program requirements are complete. A master's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in New Hampshire.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Manchester-Nashua, NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $73,380, roughly $69,451 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
Key facts about a master's in Elementary Education in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire has 4 accredited master's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- University of New Hampshire-Main Campus ranks first among elementary education master's programs in New Hampshire with a score of 72, on a 76 percent graduation rate.
- 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.
- New Hampshire requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Credentialing, to earn a teaching license.
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 master'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 master'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 master'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
Frequently asked questions about a master's in Elementary Education in New Hampshire
How many master's in elementary education programs are in New Hampshire?
There are 4 accredited master's in elementary education programs in New Hampshire in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
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 master's in elementary education worth it in New Hampshire?
For most future teachers, yes. A master'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 master's in elementary education programs in New Hampshire for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 4 master'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.