Public online college merged into UNH in 2023; served working adults with flexible degree programs.
Granite State College offered associate and bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, post-baccalaureate programs for teacher education, and 100% online degree programs. The college was accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. In 2021, its online undergraduate programs ranked 57th and online graduate business programs ranked 105th among "Best Online Degree Programs" by U.S. News & World Report. The college emphasized flexible, career-aligned education responsive to employer needs.
Granite State College maintained two suburban locations: a headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire and a campus in Manchester. The college also offered fully online programs and developed strong partnerships with the Community College System of New Hampshire, including on-site classrooms at Nashua Community College and River Valley Community College's Lebanon campus, plus partnerships with Manchester Community College and Great Bay Community College.
Over 50 years ago, the University System of New Hampshire established a core mission: to provide college access regardless of where students live, their age, or income. The college evolved from evening and weekend classes for working adults through its earlier incarnation as College for Lifelong Learning, building this foundation as Granite State College until its 2023 merger with UNH. The institution remained committed to serving adult learners balancing work, family, and education.
In 2023, Granite State College merged into the University of New Hampshire, becoming the College of Professional Studies at UNH Manchester. The merger preserved the college's core values and mission of serving working professionals, parents, military members, and career changers through flexible online and campus-based programs with affordable tuition and dedicated academic support.