Bucking national projections, some NH colleges report strong fall 2026 enrollment figures

Three New Hampshire colleges have reported unexpected enrollment growth for fall 2026, bucking national trends amid declining high school graduate projections. The University of New Hampshire (UNH) saw first-year deposits rise 4% over last year, exceeding its internal projections by 275 students. New England College in Henniker and Colby-Sawyer College in New London reported even stronger gains, with deposits up 26% and 17% respectively. The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education predicts a 12% drop in U.S. high school graduates over the next 15 years due to declining birth rates, creating what experts call a ‘demographic cliff.’ UNH’s vice provost for enrollment management, Kimberly DeRego, noted that 2026 marks the first year of this decline. Despite past enrollment drops—UNH’s first-year numbers fell 12% last year and New England College’s undergraduate enrollment nearly halved from 2019 to 2023—the schools are now seeing rebounds. UNH attributed its success to a new strategy emphasizing its value as a public university, leveraging its U.S. News & World Report ranking as the best value in New England. Forty-seven percent of surveyed depositing students said UNH offered a ‘much better’ value than other institutions. New England College, meanwhile, credited growth to expanded programs, including the addition of a football team in 2024, which will welcome 45 incoming students this year. Other New Hampshire public universities did not fare as well. Plymouth State and Keene State saw first-year deposits drop 10% and 6%, respectively, though both remain on track with 2024 figures. Saint Anselm College in Manchester intentionally reduced deposits after enrolling its largest class in history last year, straining its resources. Administrators at struggling schools noted students are taking longer to make enrollment decisions than in past years.