NEC vs. Plymouth

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Plymouth State University is larger than NEC based on total student enrollment (3,707 students vs. 3,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Plymouth State University is in Plymouth, NH (Remote Town setting).
• New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Plymouth State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Plymouth State University 15:1.

NEC vs. Plymouth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or Plymouth? 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 Plymouth State University than NEC ($20,183 vs. $27,398).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plymouth State University are 24.9% lower than at New England College ($13,158 vs. $17,526).
• New England College is 186.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Plymouth (about $27,312 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $14,626.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 64% higher at NEC than at Plymouth State University (about $16,372 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $25,566.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Plymouth State University than at New England College (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 190.7% larger than aid received by Plymouth State University students ($32,095 vs. $11,039).

NEC vs. Plymouth Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or Plymouth? 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 Plymouth and NEC.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; Plymouth - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Plymouth Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Plymouth students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.08) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than Plymouth (87.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.8% at NEC vs. 13.7% at Plymouth.

NEC vs. Plymouth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and Plymouth? 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).

• Plymouth State University's six-year graduation rate (59%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from Plymouth State University earn a median of about $2,800 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Plymouth State University and NEC graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Plymouth State University and NEC graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Plymouth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (73% 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.