Education

A community rich with educational opportunities, Manchester is constantly turning out smart, hard-working students. Here we have the educated, industrious workforce that is necessary to staff a business and the school system and educational opportunities to keep families on the right path.

Education
Jose Martinez

Our Kids Succeed

Between 2003 and 2006, the city completed a comprehensive overhaul of Manchester public schools, investing $105 million in construction and rehabilitation projects. Additions to all three high schools and two middle schools were completed. Manchester also offers incredible diversity - over 76 languages are spoken in our schools. View our students' test scores and other data.

The Manchester public school system enrolls 15,000 students at:

  • 14 elementary schools
  • 4 middle schools
  • 4 high schools (including the Manchester School of Technology, below)

The Manchester School of Technology is a 4-year competency-based high school and a Career & Technical Education Center, producing skilled cosmetologists, chefs, and auto mechanics. Meanwhile, a comprehensive special education system offers opportunities to children from pre-school to high school.

The Manchester parochial school system offers:

  • 5 elementary schools
  • 1 junior high
  • 1 high school

The Derryfield School, a private co-educational school enrolls 400 students in grades 6 through 12.

Manchester is Serious about Higher Education

With eight colleges and universities in the Manchester area, we're home to engineers, artists, business administrators, and techies - all successfully finding their niche right here. Due to our proximity to Boston, graduates from Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern, and other universities look to Manchester for employment opportunities. 

Find out just how close we are to Boston's Best Colleges and Universities.

Local Colleges

Franklin Pierce University, Manchester

Franklin Pierce is a four-year, co-educational, non-sectarian University with its main campus in Rindge, NH. The Manchester campus is one of six satellite campuses and is situated in the 11,000 square foot facility of the Jefferson Mill, part of Manchester's renovated Millyard. The University offers undergraduate and graduate programs.

Manchester Community College

The college offers more than 40 degree and certificate programs and transfer options to four-year institutions. MCC provides flexible schedules with classes during the day, evening, on weekends, or online, as well as hands-on training through laboratory and clinical studies.

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private coeducational college offering professional and pre-professional degrees in pharmacy and health sciences. Founded in 1823, it is well into its second century as the nation's second-oldest school of pharmacy and is the largest college of pharmacy in the United States.

Institute of Art and Design at New England College Manchester Campus 

A campus devoted to the arts, with a community of faculty and students who share your obsession with creativity, and your desire to engage with the world and make a difference.

Saint Anselm College

Saint Anselm College is a Catholic liberal arts college founded in 1889 by the Order of Saint Benedict. Noted for its challenging academic curriculum and nationally recognized Humanities Program, the college offers undergraduate degrees in 31 majors. The College is located on 400 acres overlooking Manchester and has just under 2,000 students.

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, coeducational institution offering associate and bachelor's degrees in business, liberal arts, and hospitality administration. An associate of applied science degree is also available in culinary arts and master's degrees are available in education, business and business-related areas, liberal arts, and hospitality administration. The university has over 100 full-time faculty, 3,000 undergraduate students, and an average class size of 20.

University of New Hampshire - Manchester

University of New Hampshire - Manchester is the urban campus of the University of New Hampshire located in the historic Pandora Mill in Manchester's Millyard. The university provides associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The university has over 1,000 students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1

University System of New Hampshire

Through its four institutions, Granite State CollegeKeene State CollegePlymouth State University, and the University of New Hampshire, which includes the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, the University System of New Hampshire is the largest provider of postsecondary education in the State. Whether a person is a traditional college-age student or an adult learner; whether one seeks the resources of a research university or a small liberal arts college, the University System of New Hampshire offers a full array of postsecondary education opportunities.