SNHU Review

Southern New Hampshire University at a Glance

Overview

Southern New Hampshire University is an accredited, nonprofit university established in 1932 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school was one of the first major United States colleges to launch online degree programs in 1995, and US News & World Report ranked it #2 of the Most Innovative Schools in 2022. It has a total enrollment of around 173,000 students.

SNHU offers more than 200 online degree programs covering associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and certificates. You can choose from more than 70 majors, most of which have multiple concentration options.

What is Southern New Hampshire University?

SNHU offers more than 70 majors for online students. Some of the options available include business, criminal justice, computer science, graphic design, accounting, environmental science, and marketing. Most majors have several concentration options, so you can tailor your studies to the specific sub-industries you want to work in.

You can join SNHU with no prior college experience or transfer up to 90 credits from another university. You can get an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree, and SNHU offers accelerated programs for students who want both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the same major. SNHU also offers 22 certificate programs.

SNHU’s online classes are completely self-paced. There are no live or pre-recorded lectures. Instead, you get online modules and group discussion boards that you can access 24/7. I think this approach works best for self-motivated individuals who are comfortable learning independently. You’ll also need to be comfortable asking questions when you don’t understand the content.

Is Southern New Hampshire University Safe and Reliable?

SNHU has been operating for more than 90 years and has offered online degree programs for 28 years. The university has an in-person campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and has a total student enrollment of more than 3,000 on campus students and more than 170,000 online students.

SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. It also has additional accreditations for specific degree programs like nursing, teaching, and public health. Undergraduate and graduate credits from SNHU are widely accepted at other universities in the United States.

How Southern New Hampshire University Works

SNHU’s online classes are distinct from in-person college classes. Instead of lectures, you get online modules that present the material in slides and documents. It’s up to you to keep up with the assignments and explore the material at your own pace. You have access to your peers and professors through a discussion group for each class in which you’re enrolled.

This format is nice because it enables you to dive into the material on your own schedule. You have access to the online modules 24/7 and you don’t have to show up for a lecture at a specific time. The group discussion boards are a good resource for asking questions if you don’t fully understand the assigned material.

Generally, classes require a combination of short individual assignments, larger group assignments, and term-long projects. In my experience, it’s straightforward to perform well at SNHU if you follow the assignment instructions closely and stay on top of your work. However, if you fall behind on your coursework, it can be difficult to catch up.

You can accelerate or slow down your degree program as much as you need to suit your available time. For example, you can take more courses in one term and fewer in another. SNHU also offers accelerated bachelor’s to master’s programs that help you get both degrees in less time.

How to get started with Southern New Hampshire University

You can apply for an SNHU degree program online. Just choose the degree program you’re interested in and fill out some basic information. You don’t need to submit any test scores, and there are no application fees. I found that the application took less than five minutes.

Before you can enroll, you’ll need to speak with an admission counselor. They will ask you about why you’re interested in a specific program to ensure you’re choosing the right degree option or major for your needs. Your counselor will also send you an attestation form to confirm that you have a high school diploma or GED, and an undergraduate degree for master’s programs.

You can also transfer credits to SNHU—up to 45 for an associate degree, up to 90 for a bachelor’s, and up to 12 for a master’s.

SNHU has six undergraduate terms and five graduate terms each year. You can enroll in courses online before the start of each term.

Terms and fees

SNHU is a private nonprofit university. Tuition rates are relatively affordable because your money only goes towards paying the actual expenses of your education, not delivering profits to shareholders.

SNHU charges $330 per credit hour for undergraduate degree programs and $637 per credit hour for graduate degree programs. Most bachelor’s degree programs require 120 credits, so that equates to a total tuition cost of $39,240 if you have no credits to transfer.

All programs include a graduation fee of $150, plus additional costs for books. There is no fee to apply for an SNHU online program.

Southern New Hampshire University Student Resources

You can get in touch with SNHU’s admission counselors by phone or email from 8am-10pm (ET) Monday-Friday and 9am-10pm (ET) Saturday-Sunday. I called and was able to speak with a friendly counselor in less than five minutes.

Once you’re enrolled in SNHU, you’ll have an academic advisor. I found that some advisors are more helpful than others, but it’s easy to switch at any time if you find your advisor isn’t offering the support you need.

You’ll also have access to SNHU’s career center. This can be helpful for basic job search advice, but it doesn’t offer many networking opportunities for remote students. You’ll need to be proactive about lining up jobs and building up a network in the field in which you plan to work.

Additional resources for online students include a 24/7 tutoring center, 24/7 technical support, a YouTube video resource library, virtual events, an online bookstore, and an online wellness center.

Southern New Hampshire University Alternatives

How Southern New Hampshire University compares with other online universities

Southern New Hampshire University vs Liberty University

Liberty University offers a wider range of degree programs than SNHU—you can even get a doctoral degree. However, many programs require week-long intensive courses, which you must take in person at Liberty University’s campus in Virginia. At SNHU, all but a few online programs are 100% online.

Southern New Hampshire University vs Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) has a lot of overlap with SNHU in its available degree programs and the format of its courses. ASU is better known than SNHU—it’s ranked #121 in National Universities by US News & World Report, whereas SNHU is only ranked in a Northeast regional list. However, tuition starts at $561 per credit hour at ASU compared to $330 per credit hour at SNHU.

Southern New Hampshire University vs Strayer University

Strayer University only offers 20 online degree programs, so you may find that the major you want is not offered there. It’s also a much smaller university than SNHU, so the student resources aren’t as expansive. Strayer University and SNHU are competitive on tuition costs.

Bottom Line