Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and one of the largest nonprofit online universities in the United States. SNHU serves approximately 201,000 students across more than 200 degree and certificate programs, with online undergraduate tuition published at $330 per credit. This review covers SNHU’s accreditation, program catalog, costs, and the student profiles its online model is built around.
If you are weighing online options more broadly, our Complete Guide to Earning an Accredited Online Degree as an Adult Learner provides a wider framework for evaluating institutions on accreditation, transferability, and program fit.
Quick Facts
| Quick Facts | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Institutional type | Private, nonprofit |
| Accreditation | NECHE (New England Commission of Higher Education) |
| Online enrollment | ~197,000 online students; ~201,000 total |
| Programs offered | 200+ undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs |
| Online undergraduate tuition | $330 per credit |
| Active-duty military tuition | ~$243 per credit |
| Online graduate tuition | ~$637 per credit |
| Transfer credits accepted | Up to 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree |
| Alumni network | 258,000+ graduates worldwide |
| Start dates | Monthly start dates |
Accreditation
Southern New Hampshire University holds regional accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), one of the seven regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NECHE evaluates a wide range of institutions across New England, including major research universities and liberal arts colleges. Regional accreditation from NECHE is widely regarded as the standard for institutional quality in U.S. higher education.
For prospective students, NECHE accreditation generally supports the following:
- Eligibility to participate in federal student aid programs
- Employer recognition of SNHU credentials across many sectors
- Transfer credit acceptance at other regionally accredited institutions
- Graduate school recognition for students continuing their education
- Professional licensing board recognition in fields such as nursing, counseling, and education, where program-level accreditation also applies
SNHU does not place an online designation on its diplomas. The transcript identifies the student as an SNHU graduate. Employers and graduate programs evaluate the credential based on SNHU’s institutional accreditation and the specific programmatic accreditations its programs hold.
Programmatic Accreditations by Field
In addition to institutional NECHE accreditation, SNHU programs hold specialized programmatic accreditation across most major career fields it serves. Programmatic accreditation is the field-specific quality review process that licensing boards, employers, and graduate programs use to evaluate degree programs.
| Program Area | Accrediting Body | What It Means for Students |
| Business | ACBSP (Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs) | Programmatic business accreditation referenced by employers and graduate programs evaluating business credentials |
| Nursing | CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) | Referenced by many hospital employers and graduate nursing programs for RN-to-BSN and MSN credentials |
| Counseling and Mental Health | CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) | Often required by state licensing boards for LPC licensure eligibility; relevant to clinical counseling career pathways |
| Education | CAEP (Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation) | Recognized standard for teacher preparation programs; supports state licensure pathways |
| Health Information Management | CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics) | Supports RHIA and RHIT credential eligibility |
| Public Health | CEPH (Council on Education for Public Health) | Recognized credential for public health practice and graduate study |
| Engineering and Technology | ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) | Recognized standard for engineering and computing programs; relevant to PE licensure pathways |
SNHU’s CACREP accreditation for clinical mental health counseling is particularly meaningful for students pursuing licensure. Many state licensing boards require graduation from a CACREP-accredited program as a condition of LPC licensure eligibility, and SNHU’s clinical mental health counseling program meets that standard. SNHU’s CCNE nursing accreditation, ABET engineering and technology accreditation, and ACBSP business accreditation also place its programs within established quality frameworks used by employers and graduate institutions.
What SNHU Is
SNHU was founded in 1932 as a small accounting and business school in Manchester, New Hampshire. Over nine decades, it grew from a regional institution into a national online university. Today the institution enrolls approximately 197,000 students online and another 4,100 on its 300-acre campus outside Manchester.
The shift to a national online model reflected a strategic decision made in the early 2000s to serve working adults, military service members, career changers, and first-generation students who needed higher education but could not accommodate traditional residential enrollment. SNHU built its operating model around accessible pricing, monthly start dates, a broad program catalog, and a generous transfer credit policy designed for that population.
The result is an institution that combines a NECHE-accredited nonprofit foundation with an operational structure designed around the realities of adult learners’ schedules: asynchronous coursework, frequent start dates, and the ability to apply prior college credit toward a bachelor’s degree.
What SNHU Costs
SNHU has held its published online undergraduate tuition at $330 per credit, which is comparatively modest among private nonprofit online universities. A 120-credit bachelor’s degree at the published rate has a tuition total of $39,600. A student entering with 60 transfer credits would have 60 credits remaining, for a tuition total of $19,800. A student entering with the maximum 90 transfer credits accepted would have 30 credits remaining, for a tuition total of $9,900.
Tuition by Student Type
| Student Type | Per-Credit Rate |
| Online undergraduate (standard) | $330 per credit |
| Online undergraduate (active-duty military) | ~$243 per credit |
| Online graduate | ~$637 per credit |
| On-campus undergraduate | Published residential tuition (separate from online rates) |
How Transfer Credits Affect the Total Cost
SNHU accepts up to 90 transfer credits toward a 120-credit bachelor’s degree. This policy is comparatively generous among accredited private nonprofits and is particularly relevant to adult learners who have attended college previously, completed community college coursework, earned college-level credit in high school, or hold prior learning that qualifies for college credit through standard evaluation processes.
| Transfer Credits | Credits Remaining | Tuition at $330/credit | Military Rate ($243/credit) |
| 0 | 120 | $39,600 | $29,160 |
| 30 | 90 | $29,700 | $21,870 |
| 60 | 60 | $19,800 | $14,580 |
| 75 | 45 | $14,850 | $10,935 |
| 90 (maximum) | 30 | $9,900 | $7,290 |
Employer Education Benefits
Some SNHU students use employer education benefits to offset part of their tuition costs. Many U.S. employers offer education assistance programs of varying amounts and structures, and federal tax rules allow certain employer-paid education benefits to be excluded from taxable income up to an annual limit set by the IRS. Students should confirm their specific employer’s policy and consult a tax advisor for details that apply to their situation.
Programs Available
SNHU offers more than 200 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs designed around career-aligned fields. The catalog spans business, healthcare, technology, social sciences, education, and the liberal arts.
Undergraduate Programs
| Program Area | Representative Degrees | Accreditation Notes |
| Business | Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship | ACBSP accredited |
| Technology and Computing | Computer Science, IT, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Software Engineering | ABET accredited programs available |
| Healthcare | Nursing (RN-to-BSN, BSN), Health Information Management, Healthcare Administration | CCNE (nursing), CAHIIM (HIM) |
| Psychology and Counseling | Psychology, Applied Psychology, Social Work, Counseling (graduate) | CACREP (graduate counseling programs) |
| Education | Elementary Education, Educational Studies, Early Childhood Education | CAEP accredited |
| Public Health and Human Services | Public Health, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Homeland Security | CEPH (public health) |
| Liberal Arts and Communications | English, Communication, Creative Writing, History | Flexible completion pathways |
Graduate Programs
- MBA and specialized business master’s degrees (ACBSP accredited)
- MS in Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Computer Science, and Information Technology
- Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CACREP accredited)
- Master of Education and education leadership programs (CAEP accredited)
- MSN and graduate nursing programs (CCNE accredited)
- Master of Public Health (CEPH accredited)
- Master of Arts in English, Communication, and other humanities programs
Certificates
SNHU offers undergraduate and graduate certificates in most major program areas. Certificates are stackable, meaning credits earned in a certificate program may apply toward a corresponding bachelor’s or master’s degree if the student chooses to continue. This allows students to earn a credential at each stage and decide whether to continue without losing credit for completed work.
Monthly Start Dates
SNHU offers monthly start dates rather than a traditional fall and spring semester schedule. For students whose timelines are shaped by work schedules, family obligations, or military service, the ability to start a new course in most months of the year, rather than waiting for the next semester, can be a meaningful planning advantage. The format also accommodates students who need to pause and re-enter without waiting months for the next term.
Who SNHU Is Designed to Serve
SNHU’s enrollment profile reflects the population the institution has built its operating model around: people balancing full-time work with school, military service members and veterans, first-generation college students, those changing careers, and students returning to complete degrees they started earlier.
Working Adults
SNHU’s eight-week asynchronous course format is designed for students who work full-time. Coursework does not require attendance at fixed class times. Students complete readings, assignments, and discussions within weekly windows that can accommodate variable work schedules, including shift work, travel-heavy jobs, and irregular hours.
Military-Affiliated Students
SNHU has a long-standing relationship with the military community and offers a reduced tuition rate of approximately $243 per credit for active-duty service members. The university accepts military training and experience for college credit through standard evaluation processes, participates in Tuition Assistance and GI Bill programs, and accommodates deployment-related interruptions through its flexible academic calendar.
Transfer Students and Returning Students
The transfer credit acceptance of up to 90 credits makes SNHU one of the more accessible degree-completion destinations for adults who attended college previously and stopped. A student who completed coursework at a community college years earlier can transfer those credits, complete the remaining requirements, and earn a bachelor’s degree without restarting from zero.
For guidance on returning to college as an adult, see our overview on Returning to College After 30: What to Know.
Program Outcomes and Credential Recognition
SNHU publishes program-level outcomes data for several of its major programs, including licensure exam pass rates and graduate employment information where applicable. Outcomes tracking in regulated fields such as nursing, counseling, and education is part of standard programmatic accreditation requirements, which provides additional transparency for prospective students.
Employer recognition of SNHU credentials is supported by NECHE institutional accreditation and program-level accreditations in business (ACBSP), nursing (CCNE), counseling (CACREP), engineering and technology (ABET), education (CAEP), public health (CEPH), and health informatics (CAHIIM).
For broader context on how online degrees are perceived in the labor market, see Do Online Degrees Really Increase Salary? What the Data Shows.
Who SNHU May Be a Fit For
SNHU’s program structure, pricing, and operational model are designed around several specific student profiles:
- Working adults who need asynchronous online coursework that fits around a work schedule
- Adult learners with prior college credit who want to apply transfer credits toward completing a bachelor’s degree
- Active-duty military members and veterans who benefit from the reduced military tuition rate, GI Bill and Tuition Assistance acceptance, and flexible scheduling
- Career changers seeking a broad catalog, monthly start dates, and an accredited private nonprofit credential
- First-generation college students seeking structured academic support and accessible admissions
- Students in nursing, counseling, education, engineering, and public health who need specific programmatic accreditation for licensure or career pathways
For prospective nursing students specifically, see our overview of Accredited Online Nursing Programs for Working Adults.
Summary
Southern New Hampshire University is a NECHE-accredited private nonprofit institution with a broad online program catalog, $330 per credit published undergraduate tuition, monthly start dates, transfer credit acceptance of up to 90 credits, and programmatic accreditation across most major fields it serves. CACREP counseling accreditation, CCNE nursing accreditation, ABET engineering and technology accreditation, and ACBSP business accreditation indicate that SNHU’s programs meet established field-specific quality standards used by employers, licensing boards, and graduate programs.
For students balancing work with school, military service members and veterans, those changing careers, and people returning to finish a degree, SNHU has built its operating model around making that possible: accredited, flexible, and structured around the realities of nontraditional students’ lives rather than a traditional academic calendar.
For a comprehensive framework on evaluating online universities more broadly, see our Complete Guide to Earning an Accredited Online Degree as an Adult Learner.
