SNHU Named a Top 10 Military Friendly® School

The distinction recognizes institutions with the best opportunities for the military community

Melanie Drolet
Feb 11, 2020

Manchester, NH (February 11, 2020) –  In recognition of its commitment to support military-affiliated learners, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has been named a top 10 Military Friendly® School for 2020. The University earned the fourth spot on this year’s list. 

“As a longtime supporter of the military community, we are proud to be named a top 10 Military Friendly® School,” said Paul LeBlanc, University President and CEO, SNHU. “At SNHU, we understand the unique needs of service members and their families on the path to a degree, and we will continue to find ways to support the men and women who selflessly serve our nation.”

SNHU has a long history of supporting service members, veterans and their families. After the United States entered World War II, the institution launched its first clerical program for active-duty personnel stationed at Manchester Air Base. It later expanded educational opportunity to the armed forces by offering innovative 8-week courses on military bases across New England and Puerto Rico. Today, SNHU offers military benefits and tuition assistance for service members and their spouses, provides support from a dedicated team of military advisors, hosts Operation Homefront Celebrations for military spouses, and awards full-tuition scholarships to military-affiliated learners through its military partnerships with Operation Homefront and the USO. 

“Oftentimes, it is difficult for military families to continue their education while also balancing frequent moves and raising a family,” said Emily DeVito, Senior Director of Military Initiatives, SNHU. “Whether a student is at home or deployed, our flexible online programs can help service members and their families accomplish their educational goals. We hope to show these families that higher education is within reach, no matter where they’re stationed or how many times they’re relocated.”

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-21 survey with 695 earning the designation.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Victory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

Military Friendly’s National Director Josh Rosen stated, “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to colleges creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to invest in programs to provide educational outcomes that are better for the Military Community as a whole.”

The 2020-21 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

For more information about SNHU’s degree programs and military experience, visit www.snhu.edu.

About Military Friendly® Schools

The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data­-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post­secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

About Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit institution with an 87-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 135,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers over 300 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as the "Most Innovative" regional university by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner. Learn more at www.snhu.edu.

SNHU has been named to Washington Monthly and U.S. News & World Report’s rankings every year since their inception

Lauren Keane
Sep 10, 2018

Manchester, N.H. (September 10, 2018) - Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has recently been recognized as a top university by two national publications. U.S. News & World Report announced today that SNHU has been named the Most Innovative University in the north for the fourth consecutive year. In late August, SNHU was also recognized as a top institution for adult learners by Washington Monthly.

"We are proud to once again be recognized by Washington Monthly and U.S. News & World Report," said Paul LeBlanc, President, SNHU. "At SNHU, we believe all students should have access to the type of instruction and support services that best fit their individual needs. This recognition is a testament to the work we do every day, and we will continue to create even more innovative, flexible and affordable pathways to education for lifelong learners."

SNHU, a repeat top fifty school, jumped six spots this year on Washington Monthly's list of 4-year colleges, ranking 14^th, and is one of three institutions from New Hampshire to earn this distinction. The University also topped the U.S. News & World Report's "Most Innovative Schools in the North" category for the fourth year in a row, and is the only institution from the Granite State on the list. SNHU has been named to both rankings every year since their inception.

Unlike most of U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges" rankings, the "Most Innovative Schools" category solely relies on a peer assessment survey to compile the results. Participants - college presidents, provosts and admission deans - were asked to nominate up to fifteen institutions "that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities."

Washington Monthly inaugurated the "Best Colleges for Adult Learners" rankings in 2016 to recognize the nation's colleges and universities that are meeting the needs of the fastest-growing demographic in higher education. The rankings are determined based on data from the Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the Department's College Scorecard database and the College Board's Annual Survey of Colleges. More than 2,200 two- and four-year institutions were recognized this year, and the following criteria was used to rate each school:

• Ease of transfer/enrollment;
• Flexibility of programs;
• Services for adult learners;
• Percentage of adult students (age 25+);
• Graduation rates of part-time students;
• Mean earnings after ten years;
• Loan repayment rates; and
• Tuition and fees

To learn more, please visit Washington Monthly's College Guide and Rankingsand U.S. News & World Report's Rankings and Lists.

Lauren Keane
Sep 12, 2017

For the third consecutive year, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has been named the "Most Innovative University" in the north by U.S. News & World Report. SNHU, the only institution on the list from the state of New Hampshire, has earned this distinction every year since the award's inception.

"SNHU has a long history of rethinking higher education to meet the changing needs of students and we are honored to once again be recognized as one of the Most Innovative Universities in the country." said Paul LeBlanc, president, SNHU. "We take great pride in helping students' transform their lives through the power of education, and will continue to find new ways to better serve students on their path to a degree."

Unlike most of the "Best Colleges" rankings, the "Most Innovative Schools" category solely relies on a peer assessment survey to compile the results. Participants - college presidents, provosts and admission deans - are asked to nominate up to ten institutions each year "that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities." SNHU has topped the list for three consecutive years.

Last week, SNHU was also named to Washington Monthly's 'Most Innovative Colleges for Adult Learners.'

For more information about results and methodology, please visit Best Colleges Rankings and Lists.

Mar 7, 2012

Universities help drive the transformation now underway regionally, focusing on conducting research, incubating new businesses and upskilling or reskilling labor to meet technology driven changes in labor demand.

"On a positive note, embracing societal change means that people have to learn to compete with the help of smarter machines-ones that augment individual, institutional and organizational capabilities. As a result, people are gravitating toward becoming life-long learners-able to adapt to change-and able to compete with machines and not against them," states Spohrer.

To attract the "life long learner", universities are aligning their capabilities to support a new type of student-one that maintains a full-time job, has a family or has limited time, thereby requiring flexibility to meet program requirements.

"This transformation calls for doubling student enrollment via online college courses. Some Universities such as Southern New Hampshire University are way ahead of the curve and others such as MIT and Stanford are also moving in this direction," Spohrer elaborates.