CONCORD, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) New Hampshire invests less in public higher education than any other state in the country, and a newly passed state budget could deepen that gap, according to a new report.

The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (NHFPI) found the Granite State provided just $4,629 per full-time student in 2024—less than half the national average of nearly $11,700. While most states boosted higher education spending this year, New Hampshire cut aid by nearly 4 percent.

The new two-year budget increases funding slightly for the Community College System of New Hampshire, but slashes support for the University System of New Hampshire by 17.6 percent. NHFPI warns that those reductions could drive up tuition costs and make it harder for students to afford degrees.

The report notes that four of the ten fastest-growing jobs in the state—including software developers, nurse practitioners, and financial managers—require at least a bachelor’s degree. Advocates say that without stronger investment in higher education, New Hampshire risks losing young talent to other states and straining its already tight workforce.

Students and families are already paying more of the cost of college here than almost anywhere else. Tuition and fees at the state’s four-year colleges top $15,000 a year, among the highest in the nation, and community college tuition just rose by nearly 7 percent. By comparison, tuition revenue accounts for 68 percent of public college budgets in New Hampshire, versus 39 percent nationwide.

NHFPI leaders said they hope the findings will spark debate among lawmakers about how to make higher education more affordable and keep more graduates in the state.