New Hampshire State Education Budget Cuts

New Hampshire State Education Budget Cuts

Recently, the NH House announced budget cuts for the University System of New Hampshire, which provides funding to many schools in NH, including UNH, Plymouth and Keene State, and a law school in Concord. On Friday, lawmakers approved a budget cut totaling approximately $50m over 2 years. It’s approximately a 30% budget cut. 

If this cut goes through, lawmakers are looking at the possibility of closing down campuses, specifically the aforementioned schools. House Republicans believe that the schools can function with the cut, whilst House Democrats, the minority, believe that the funding cuts are “egregious” and “fiscally irresponsible.”

In February, UNH looked to shave $20m off of the budget for 2026. There is an estimated budget gap of $15m-$20m. UNH plans to raise revenue by raising tuition (already one of the highest in the country) and consolidating more programs to lower operating costs. UNH, like many schools, has been facing lower enrollment over the past years, though it has stayed relatively steady in the past couple of years. However, this most likely won’t be enough, and UNH will most likely have to find other programs and positions to cut while they fight increased employee insurance costs. 

Approximately 30% of students’ tuition money goes towards the operating costs of UNH. Declining enrollment and now budget cuts will complicate things, as UNH looks to raise tuition and room and board costs while reducing the services they offer. It is unknown when things will be finalized.

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UNH Budget Cuts

House Budget Cut to University System