NEC vs. Manhattan School of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Manhattan School of Music in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

New England College is larger than Manhattan School of Music based on total student enrollment (3,275 students vs. 1,084 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Manhattan School of Music is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Manhattan School of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Manhattan School of Music 6:1.

NEC vs. Manhattan School of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or Manhattan School of Music? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New England College than Manhattan School of Music ($27,398 vs. $51,767).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New England College are 2.9% lower than at Manhattan School of Music ($17,526 vs. $18,050).
• Manhattan School of Music is 36% more expensive for in-state tuition than NEC (about $15,112 more per year; $57,050.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36% higher at Manhattan School of Music than at New England College (about $15,112 more per year; $57,050.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at New England College than at Manhattan School of Music (99% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 23.4% larger than aid received by Manhattan School of Music students ($32,095 vs. $26,001).

NEC vs. Manhattan School of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or Manhattan School of Music? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Manhattan School of Music and NEC.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; Manhattan School of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Manhattan School of Music Dec 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Manhattan School of Music students have a 0.74 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than Manhattan School of Music (40.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.8% at NEC vs. 25.3% at Manhattan School of Music.

NEC vs. Manhattan School of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and Manhattan School of Music? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Manhattan School of Music's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from New England College earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than Manhattan School of Music graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,400 vs. $37,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Manhattan School of Music graduates have a $3,250 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($23,750 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Manhattan School of Music graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($245 vs. $279).
• More Manhattan School of Music graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.