New Hampshire ranks last in the country in spending on public higher education, and that could have big repercussions for employers desperate for workers, according to a new report out Thursday.
The findings from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute come as recent state budget cuts have led the University of New Hampshire to eliminate almost 70 positions and increase tuition.
The new analysis warns that the state’s “underinvestment” in higher education could have an unwanted ripple effect on the economy. Half of the state’s top 10 fastest-growing occupations — such as nurse practitioners, software engineers, and financial managers — require at least some college education.
“Based on New Hampshire's long term employment needs, both the community college system and the university system play an important role in our workforce preparation,” said Nicole Heller, who conducted the analysis.
The report said many students may look outside New Hampshire for cheaper college options.
The state spends almost $4,600 dollars per student at its four-year public colleges in 2024; that’s well below the national average of $11,700. New Hampshire’s community colleges get far more state funding per student, about $9,800 per student in 2024, the report said.
Heller said New Hampshire will likely fall further behind the rest of the country in higher education funding with lawmakers’ recent $35 million cut to the University System of New Hampshire, which includes UNH, Keene State College, Plymouth State University.