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Finance Programs and Careers in New Hampshire

This guide is designed to give you insights into degree programs in finance in New Hampshire. Finance schools in New Hampshire have programs for students of any skill level, whether you are a novice or an experienced working professional. These finance degrees can be flexible in delivery, allowing students to choose from an accelerated full-time program, part-time study, or an entirely online option. Students can complete a finance degree in New Hampshire in as little as 15 months. A few finance schools focus on global business by requiring an international component, such as the University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College. These options allow students to decide what is most important for them to achieve their academic and career goals.

Quick Facts

  • There are 10 colleges and universities with finance degree programs in New Hampshire.1
  • 2 schools offer a certificate in finance.1
  • No schools offer an associate’s degree in finance.1
  • 6 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in finance.1
  • 4 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in finance.1
  • 1 school ranked in Forbes’ Best Business Schools 2019.2
  • No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Business and Finance Majors 2020.3
  • No schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Finance Programs 2021.4
  • 1 school ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Finance Programs 2021.5

For not-for-profit colleges and universities with finance degree programs.

Table of Contents

New Hampshire Finance Program Comparison

We have developed the following table to help you compare all of the finance programs in New Hampshire from not-for-profit schools that offer programs with a concentration in finance. In addition to allowing you to compare the business school’s accreditation, finance degrees that appear in bold are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute University Affiliation Programs, those that have been recognized for curricula aligned to preparing for the CFA Exam.

SchoolAccreditationFinance Degree(s)Acceptance Rate6Grad Rate1Online Options?Median Debt7Net Price1
Colby-Sawyer CollegeACBSPMinor-Accounting and FinanceN.Av.23%$26,000$28,601
Dartmouth CollegeAACSBMBA-Finance34.7%95%$12,000$23,869
Franklin Pierce UniversityIACBEBS-Accounting: FinanceN.Av.49%Yes$14,423$27,876
Great Bay Community CollegeACBSPCertificate-Risk Management and InsuranceN.Av.23%N.Av.$15,396
New England CollegeMS-Management: Real EstateN.Av.29%Yes$11,000$29,369
Plymouth State UniversityACBSPBS-FinanceN.Av.54%$17,000$19,675
Rivier UniversityACBSPBS-FinanceN.Av.46%$17,000$25,068
Saint Anselm CollegeBA-FinanceN.Av.78%$27,000$34,164
Southern New Hampshire UniversityACBSPBS-Accounting Finance;
BS-Business Administration: Finance;
BS-Economics Finance;
BS-Finance;
Graduate Certificate-Finance;
MBA-Finance;
MS-Accounting Finance;
MS-Finance
N.Av.44%Yes$6,333$39,743
University of New HampshireAACSBBA-Economics: Global Trade and Finance;
BA-Economics: Money and Financial Markets;
BS-Business Administration: Finance;
MBA-Finance;
MS-Finance
85.1%76%Yes$23,000$24,056

  • — indicates none.
  • N.Av. indicates no data available.

Top-Ranked Schools with Finance Programs in New Hampshire

Forbes’ Best Business Schools 2019

  • Dartmouth College (#6)

Georgetown CEW’s ROI Ranking by Long-Term Net Present Value 2019

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) has compared 4,500 colleges and universities on graduates’ return on investment (ROI). We use their net present value (NPV) ranking, which is the current dollar value of earning a four-year degree from the school over a 40-year horizon.

  • Dartmouth College (#40; $1,561,000)
  • Saint Anselm College (#236; $1,173,000)
  • University of New Hampshire (#414; $1,050,000)
  • Rivier University (#890; $922,000)
  • Colby-Sawyer College (#1,220; $859,000)
  • Plymouth State University (#1,376; #839,000)
  • Southern New Hampshire University (#1,376; $839,000)
  • Franklin Pierce University (#1,727; $789,000)
  • New England College (#2,232; $726,000)7

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Finance Programs 2021

  • Dartmouth College (#26 tie)

Select Schools in New Hampshire with Finance Degrees

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Franklin Pierce University

Franklin Pierce University hosts a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting and Finance with a Finance track that integrates concepts from economics, accounting, finance, and global markets. 120 credits are required to complete the four-year, full-time program. With Franklin Pierce’s 3+1 program, students can complete the bachelor’s degree in three years before continuing to a one-year master’s program. Coursework is divided into general education and major requirements, including finance courses such as Principles of Finance Management; Business Law; and Managerial Finance. In addition to the classroom work, all students must complete an experiential learning requirement such as an internship or participation in the Small Business Advisory Group. Graduation from the program requires that students maintain at least a 3.0 GPA and pass the College of Business core exam. Applicants must have graduated from high school with the prerequisite coursework. The BS in Accounting and Finance is also available as an online program.

Plymouth State University

The School of Business at Plymouth State University (PSU) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance that will help teach students financial skills such as financial model development and risk evaluation. PSU students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the school’s interdisciplinary, clustered learning model. Students will need to complete 120 credit hours to graduate from the program. The finance curriculum requires a minimum of 22 classes and encompasses such topics as Financial Modeling, Financial Management, Investment Principles, and Business Law. Applicants to PSU must have graduated high school. PSU recommends that applicants complete the prerequisite high school courses with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Students may pursue an Accounting option as a supplement to the general Finance curriculum.

Rivier University

Rivier University hosts a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance that will help students develop their understanding of finance and business fundamentals and prepare them to enter a variety of financial positions. The BS in Finance is presented on-campus as a full-time, four-year degree and requires a minimum of 120 credit hours to complete. Coursework includes 42 credits of business core course and 15 credits of Finance courses, such as Personal Finance; Sustainable Value; and International Economics and Finance. Rivier requires Finance students to complete at least one internship, available as early as the sophomore year. Admission to the BS in Finance requires a high school diploma or equivalent with a college preparatory curriculum. Graduates from the BS in Finance program may be interested in Rivier’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Traditional Master’s Programs

Dartmouth College

The Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) which can be completed in two years. The full-time MBA program requires 76.5 credits, including 14 core business courses and 13 elective courses. Tuck students can focus the elective coursework on a specific subject, allowing them to specialize in Finance by taking electives such as Advanced Corporate Finance and Governance, Real Estate, The Arrhythmia of Finance, and Financing Strategy for Public Companies. Students also participate in a First-Year Project, in which students apply the first-year curriculum to a real-world project; and the TuckGO program, in which students must take one course in a country that is new to them. An undergraduate degree and either a GMAT or GRE score are required to apply to the MBA.

University of New Hampshire

The University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics offers a Master of Science (MS) in Finance that helps students prepare for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam. The STEM-designated program can be completed in 12 to 18 months of full-time study or two years of part-time study. Curriculum requirements differ between the full- and part-time programs. Full-time students take 33 credit hours comprising eight core courses and three elective courses; part-time students take 30 credit hours comprising six core courses and four electives. Both tracks are split between core coursework and elective coursework. Required core classes cover subjects such as financial reporting, financial modeling, and quantitative applications. Elective courses can be used to pursue tracks in Financial Analytics and Fintech; Investments; or a self-designed track. Applicants to the MS in Finance program must have an undergraduate degree. Undergraduate business students at UNH can apply to the 4+1 accelerated program and begin master’s study in their senior year.

Online and Hybrid Programs

New England College

New England College (NEC) offers an online Master of Science in Management (MSM) with a concentration in Real Estate Management that can be completed in under two years. The 36-credit hour program will provide students the chance to develop skills in coaching real estate stakeholders and evaluating investment risk in real estate. The program, which was developed for currently-employed professionals and students seeking a career change, allows students to attend class on their own schedules. MSM students will take 16 credits of core management classes and 20 credits of Real Estate classes. Courses include Managerial Accounting, Real Estate Finance, and Research Methods. To apply to the MSM in Real Estate Management, applicants must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum 2.75 GPA. NEC has a rolling admission policy, with applications open year-round.

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) offers a Master of Science (MS) in Finance that can be completed in as little as 12 months. The 36-credit hour finance degree will help students prepare for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 exam. Offered entirely online, the MS in FInance allows students to study on their own schedule. The curriculum is divided between nine required courses and three elective courses, which can be used towards optional concentrations in either Corporate Finance or Investments. Courses include Quantitative Analysis for Decision Making; Money and Capital Markets; Corporate Financial Management; and Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management. Applying to the MS in Finance requires a bachelor’s degree, and applications are accepted year-round. Applicants without the necessary prerequisite coursework may need to complete a series of foundation courses in addition to the standard curriculum.

University of New Hampshire

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting and Finance that helps students develop skills in investment management and begin the coursework necessary to meet the requirements for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure. The degree is available in a blended format. Most coursework in the 120-credit hour curriculum is presented online to accommodate working adults, with specific courses taken on campus. UNH has designed the program to accommodate transfer students, allowing all but 30 credit hours as transfer credits. Finance classes in the program include Investment Principles, Money and Banking, and Financial Modeling and Decision Making. Freshman applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Transfer students must submit transcripts from all previous schools. Students may also be interested in the UNH’s BS of Business Administration with a Finance concentration.

New Hampshire Finance Careers and Salary Outlook

Numerous banks and companies are headquartered in New Hampshire, creating potential employment opportunities for finance graduates. The gym chain Planet Fitness, based in Hampton, is one of the largest companies headquartered in the state. KBW Financial Staffing and Recruiting is another large financial staffing company with offices in New Hampshire, making it a potential employer for finance graduates. New Hampshire is also home to other large companies with regional offices in the state that are significant employers for finance graduates, such as Liberty Mutual and Fidelity Investments. Banks headquartered in New Hampshire include the Bank of New Hampshire, Granite State Credit Union, and the Bank of New England.

Over 7,000 finance professionals are working in the state of New Hampshire; among them, both the highest employment and salary levels are for the state’s financial managers, with 3,890 financial managers making an average annual salary of $129,440.8 New Hampshire’s financial managers constitute 5.89 out of every 1,000 jobs, the fifth-highest concentration of financial managers among US states.9 Over the 10-year period between 2018 and 2028, finance-related job growth in New Hampshire is projected to match or outpace the projected national rate.10 Financial examiner positions are expected to match the national growth rate of 7.1%.10 Personal finance advisor positions in New Hampshire are predicted to grow at a rate of 9.7% through 2028 compared to 7% nationally.10 The nonmetropolitan areas of New Hampshire have high concentrations of financial professionals. Personal finance advisors outside of central New Hampshire’s cities make up 1.39 of every 1,00 jobs11 Loan officers do particularly well in New Hampshire, earning an average of $85,910 as compared to the national average of $76,200.12 Loan officers in west central-southwest New Hampshire have the fourth-highest average salaries of nonmetropolitan loan officers in the country, averaging $84,980 per year.12

New Hampshire Finance Salary Information

OccupationNumber Employed8Average Salary8
Business and Financial Operations Occupations31,700$74,350
Financial and Investment Analysts and Other Specialists990$85,410
Financial Examiners130$89,660
Financial Managers3,890$129,440
Loan Officers1,300$85,910
Personal Financial Advisors1,060$103,580

Finance Associations in New Hampshire

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Forbes Best Business Schools 2019: https://www.forbes.com/business-schools/list/
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Undergraduate Finance Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-finance
5. US News & World Report Best Graduate Finance Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/finance-rankings
6. US News & World Report Best Business Schools 2021: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools
7. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Ranking ROI of 4,500 US Colleges and Universities: https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/CollegeROI/
8. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, New Hampshire: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nh.htm
9. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Financial Managers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes113031.htm
10. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/projections/longterm
11. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Personal Financial Advisors: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132052.htm
12. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, Loan Officers: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132072.htm