| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private nonprofit university; residential campus, graduate health centers and online programs |
| Founded | Chartered 14 November 1962 as Franklin Pierce College; university since 2007 |
| Locations | 5: the Rindge, NH campus plus centers in Manchester and Lebanon, NH, Goodyear, AZ (Phoenix area) and Round Rock, TX (Austin area) |
| Students (Fall 2025) | 828 traditional undergraduates, 70 online undergraduates, 597 graduate students |
| Credentials | Associate, bachelor’s, master’s (including MPAS, MSN, MBA), DPT, certificates |
| Accreditation | NECHE since 1968; next comprehensive evaluation Fall 2028. Two of three PA programs on ARC-PA probation |
| Federal aid | Yes |
| 2026-27 tuition | $44,276 a year at Rindge; $400 a credit online undergraduate; graduate programs below |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A New Hampshire university with graduate health programs in three states
Franklin Pierce University is a private nonprofit university chartered in 1962 as Franklin Pierce College and renamed in 2007. Its residential campus in Rindge, New Hampshire teaches bachelor’s degrees and plays NCAA Division II sports. Most of its career training is at graduate level and happens elsewhere: physician assistant programs in Lebanon, NH, Goodyear, AZ and Round Rock, TX; the Doctor of Physical Therapy in Manchester, NH and Goodyear; and a master’s-entry nursing program in Manchester. Business, criminal justice, nursing and education degrees are also offered online.
The biggest recent changes are in the physician assistant programs. ARC-PA placed the Goodyear program on probation in March 2025 and the Round Rock program in April 2026, while the in-person New Hampshire program moved with the Lebanon center to Centerra Parkway in January 2026. The Portsmouth center, on our earlier listing, is no longer one of the university’s locations.
Degrees tied to a license or a career field
Franklin Pierce awards university degrees, not short trade certificates. The programs below are the ones linked to a specific career field; tuition is for 2026-27.
| Program | Credential | Length | Delivery and where | Prepares for | 2026-27 tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physician Assistant Studies | MPAS | 27 months (NH); 24 months (AZ, TX) | In person, Lebanon, NH; hybrid, Goodyear, AZ and Round Rock, TX | PANCE | $58,428 a year |
| Master’s Entry Program in Nursing | MSN (pre-licensure) | 18 months, 60 credits | Manchester, NH | NCLEX-RN | $51,500 a year |
| RN to BSN | BSN (RN required) | – | Online | – | $250/credit (NH and AZ residents) |
| MSN, MSN/MBA, nursing education certificate | MSN; certificate (RN required) | About 18 months or more | Online | – | $665/credit |
| Doctor of Physical Therapy | DPT | 2.5 years (NH); 25.5 months (AZ) | Manchester, NH; hybrid, Goodyear, AZ | NPTE | $57,080 (NH) / $57,408 (AZ) a year |
| Accounting, Finance, Marketing | BS; MBA concentrations; graduate certificates | – | BS at Rindge; MBA and certificates online | – | $44,276 a year (Rindge); $665/credit (MBA) |
| Management and Business | BS Management; AA Business; MBA | MBA: 10 courses | Rindge; online | – | $400/credit online undergraduate |
| Healthcare Administration | BS; MBA concentration; certificates | – | BS at Rindge; graduate online | – | $44,276 a year (Rindge); $665/credit |
| Criminal Justice | BA; AA | – | BA at Rindge or online; AA online | No police academy | $400/credit online |
| Graphic and Digital Communication | BA | – | Rindge | – | $44,276 a year |
The university also teaches communication, music, sports media, psychology, education, biology, health sciences and emergency medical services, and online an M.Ed., an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a 30-credit online paralegal certificate whose page does not claim ABA approval. Advertising, public health and visual arts are minors only. Our earlier listing named film, computer and human resources programs: there is no film or computer degree in the current program list, and human resource management no longer appears among the MBA concentrations.
What the main programs cover
Master’s Entry Program in Nursing
The MEPN is a 60-credit Master of Science in Nursing for people whose bachelor’s degree is in another field. It runs full time in Manchester over six consecutive 12-week terms, about 18 months, and the university discourages students from holding jobs during it. Applicants need a 3.0 GPA, a TEAS score of 80%, a faculty interview and prerequisite science courses passed with a B or better. Franklin Pierce undergraduates can take a 3+1.5 route that starts with three years in Rindge. The program prepares for the NCLEX-RN but, in the university’s words, does not guarantee RN licensure.
Physician assistant studies
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies comes in two formats. In New Hampshire it is a 27-month in-person program at the Lebanon center, which since January 2026 has a rural health-care simulation lab. In Arizona and Texas it is a 24-month hybrid: most coursework is online, students travel to Goodyear or Round Rock for immersion weeks, and Texas students do clinical rotations at the program’s Texas hubs. All three prepare for the PANCE certification exam. Texas applications open in late April and close on 1 October.
Doctor of Physical Therapy
The DPT trains physical therapists, not physical therapist assistants, and Franklin Pierce offers no PTA program. In Manchester it is a 117-credit, 2.5-year on-site program with 38 weeks of clinical education. In Goodyear it is a 25.5-month hybrid with 30 weeks of clinical education, combining online coursework with labs on site. Rindge undergraduates can enter through a 4+2.5 direct-entry track. Graduates sit the NPTE licensing exam, where first-time pass rates have been below the national average (see below).
Online business degrees
Most business study can be done online, in five terms a year. The ladder starts with an AA in Business, then a BS in Management, then the MBA, which is 10 courses: seven core courses and three in a concentration such as accounting, finance, marketing, healthcare management or sports and recreation management. Graduate certificates cover single areas, including accounting, finance and health administration. On the Rindge campus the same subjects are full bachelor’s majors, with minors such as advertising and public relations.
Costs for 2026-27 and paying for them
Franklin Pierce is private, so there is no in-state or out-of-state tuition, except for the online RN to BSN rate. Published 2026-27 prices:
- Rindge, full-time undergraduate: $44,276 tuition ($22,138 a term) plus a $5,024 administrative fee. A standard double room is $10,700 and the All Access meal plan $7,500, for a direct cost of $67,500 a year.
- Online undergraduate: $400 a credit, which the university puts at $14,400 a year at six credits a term. The online RN to BSN is $250 a credit for New Hampshire and Arizona residents; we could not confirm the rate for other states.
- Online graduate: $665 a credit for the MBA, MSN, M.Ed. and MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling ($19,950 a year over five terms for the MBA, $15,960 over four terms for the others).
- MEPN (Manchester): $51,500 a year ($12,875 a term) plus a $2,200 comprehensive fee.
- Physician assistant: $58,428 a year in every state, plus a $1,500 comprehensive fee in New Hampshire, $2,200 in other program costs in Arizona and a $2,020 comprehensive fee in Texas.
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (2026 cohort): $57,080 a year in New Hampshire plus $780 in fees, and $57,408 in Arizona plus $1,580.
Franklin Pierce takes part in federal student aid. It says 100% of students accepted to the Rindge campus for Fall 2026 received aid, and federal data on Niche put the net price at $26,152 a year. We could not check its named scholarships or veterans benefits for this update.
Admissions and schedule
Undergraduate admission is broad: federal data on Niche give a 93% acceptance rate. The graduate health programs have their own requirements, such as the MEPN’s 3.0 GPA and TEAS score. Online programs run five terms a year. The MEPN is full time, and Texas PA applications run from late April to 1 October. The hybrid PA and DPT programs combine online courses with immersion weeks, so students must travel to Goodyear or Round Rock for those weeks.
Accreditation and results
Franklin Pierce has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) since 1968. Its last comprehensive evaluation was in 2018, the next is due in Fall 2028, and NECHE’s record shows no public sanction. CAPTE accredits the DPT separately in Manchester and Goodyear, ACEN accredits the nursing programs (RN to BSN continued, next review Fall 2030; MSN, MSN/MBA and MEPN with next reviews due Fall 2026), and IACBE accredits the business programs.
| PA program | ARC-PA status (October 2026) | First-time PANCE results |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire (Lebanon, in person) | Accreditation-Continued; next validation review about September 2027 | 2022 100% (21 takers), 2023 95% (21), 2024 95% (22), 2025 94% (18), 2026 100% (20); national 91–94% |
| Arizona (Goodyear, hybrid) | Accreditation-Probation since March 2025 | Not shown on the university’s page; ARC-PA records the 2024 cohort at 85% or less |
| Texas (Round Rock, hybrid) | Accreditation-Probation since April 2026; next review April 2028 | Not yet published |
ARC-PA also asked the New Hampshire program for reports because attrition was 10.9% or more in its 2023, 2024 and 2025 cohorts, and asked the Arizona program for a report on its 2024 PANCE results; it accepted a revised report in April 2026. The New Hampshire PANCE figures above are from the university’s report dated 30 June 2026.
| Measure | Figure | Cohort or definition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 51% | Rindge first-time, full-time freshmen who entered Fall 2021 | Franklin Pierce Facts & Stats |
| First-year retention | 71% | Rindge first-time, full-time freshmen, Fall 2024 to Fall 2025 | Franklin Pierce Facts & Stats |
| Class of 2025 outcomes | 52% employed full time; 43% in or planning graduate school; 5% seeking a first position | Self-reported senior survey | Franklin Pierce Facts & Stats |
| NCLEX-RN pass rate | 91% | Class of 2026, first-time takers (MEPN is the only pre-licensure program) | Franklin Pierce nursing pages |
| NPTE first-time pass, DPT New Hampshire | 75.4% (2024), 73.5% (2025) | Class year; national two-year average 85.9% | University outcome report |
| NPTE first-time pass, DPT Arizona | 77.1% (2023), 48.2% (2024) | Class year | University outcome report |
| Median earnings | $61,532 | Five years after graduation | Federal data, via Niche |
The graduation and retention figures are the university’s own and cover Rindge students; the employment figure comes from a self-reported senior survey. The NCLEX-RN rate has not been checked against the New Hampshire Board of Nursing.
Before you enroll
- Two of the three physician assistant programs are on ARC-PA probation: Goodyear, AZ since March 2025 and Round Rock, TX since April 2026. ARC-PA’s record for Goodyear lists 34 areas of noncompliance, a focused probation visit due before its March 2027 meeting and a warning letter about institutional support. The university’s accreditation page and catalog still describe both as “provisional”. Ask the program what probation means for your cohort.
- First-time NPTE pass rates for the DPT have been well below the national two-year average of 85.9%: 73.5% in New Hampshire for 2025 and 48.2% in Arizona for 2024, according to the university’s own outcome reports. CAPTE’s next full review of both programs was due in 2026.
- The Doctor of Physical Therapy is a doctoral program for future physical therapists. Franklin Pierce has no physical therapist assistant program, and no pre-licensure BSN: the only route to the NCLEX-RN is the MEPN, which needs a bachelor’s degree first unless you start on the 3+1.5 track at Rindge.
- Online students outside New Hampshire should confirm that Franklin Pierce can enroll them from their state. The university says it operates under NC-SARA approval, but its accreditation page lists authorization in 23 states and the District of Columbia; we could not check the NC-SARA directory.
- Only 51% of Rindge freshmen who entered in Fall 2021 graduated in four years, and 71% of the Fall 2024 freshmen returned for a second year.
Rindge and the four centers
| Location | Address | What is taught there |
|---|---|---|
| Rindge, NH (main campus) | 40 University Drive, Rindge, NH 03461 | All on-campus bachelor’s degrees; first years of the MEPN and DPT direct-entry tracks; housing |
| Manchester, NH | 670 North Commercial Street, Suite 301, Manchester, NH 03101 | Doctor of Physical Therapy; Master’s Entry Program in Nursing; hybrid part of the MSN/MBA; base for online programs |
| Lebanon, NH | 46 Centerra Parkway, Suite 200, Lebanon, NH 03766 | Master of Physician Assistant Studies (in person); here since January 2026 |
| Phoenix (Goodyear), AZ | 14455 West Van Buren Street, Building A, Suite 100, Goodyear, AZ 85338 | Hybrid DPT and hybrid MPAS (on probation) |
| Austin (Round Rock), TX | 301 Seton Parkway, Suite 203, Round Rock, TX 78665 | Hybrid MPAS (on probation) |
The Lebanon center was at 24 Airport Road in West Lebanon until January 2026. The Portsmouth center at 119 International Drive is no longer listed by the university or by NECHE; we could not find when it closed.
Housing and sports
Only the Rindge campus has housing: a standard double room costs $10,700 for 2026-27. The centers have no residence halls, so graduate students in Manchester, Lebanon, Goodyear and Round Rock arrange their own housing, including during hybrid immersion weeks. Franklin Pierce’s teams play in NCAA Division II’s Northeast-10 Conference, and women’s ice hockey plays in Division I.
What students say
On Niche, Franklin Pierce University has 3.31 out of 5 from 572 reviews and an overall grade of C− (checked 7 October 2026). Reviewers praise caring professors, though this depends on the field, small classes and the number of clubs. Complaints include brown water and dirty dorm bathrooms, aging residence halls, and repetitive or poor dining.
Niche shows review dates only in part, so we could not tell whether reviews arrived in bursts or were invited. We did not check Trustpilot or GradReports for this update.
Sources
Checked October 2026: Franklin Pierce locations · Cost of attendance 2026-27 · Facts & Stats · NECHE record · ARC-PA history, Goodyear · Texas hybrid PA program · Doctor of Physical Therapy · Niche
Programs & Courses
Healthcare and Nursing
- Master of Physician Assistant Studies (27 months in person, Lebanon, NH; 24-month hybrid, Goodyear, AZ and Round Rock, TX)
- Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN): pre-licensure MSN for non-nursing bachelor's graduates, Manchester, NH
- RN to BSN (online; RN license required)
- MSN in Leadership or Education, MSN/MBA and Nursing Education graduate certificate (online; RN required)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (Manchester, NH; hybrid in Goodyear, AZ); not a physical therapist assistant program
- Health Sciences (BS) and Emergency Medical Services (BA/BS)
Business
- Accounting (BS; MBA concentration; graduate certificate)
- Finance (BS; MBA concentration; graduate certificate)
- Marketing (BS; MBA concentration; graduate certificate)
- Management (BS, Rindge or online) and Business (AA, online)
- Master of Business Administration (online, 10 courses)
- Sports and Recreation Management (BS; MBA concentration)
Healthcare Administration
- Healthcare Administration (BS, Rindge)
- MBA Healthcare Management concentration; Health Administration and Healthcare Finance graduate certificates (online)
Criminal Justice and Law
- Criminal Justice (BA, Rindge or online; AA, online; minor)
- Paralegal Studies (undergraduate certificate, 30 credits, online; not ABA-approved)
Other degrees
- Graphic and Digital Communication (BA; minor)
- Communication, Music, Sports Media, Psychology and Education (BA, Rindge)
- Biology (BS, Rindge)
- M.Ed. and MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (online)
- Integrated Studies (BS) and General Studies (AA) (online)
Campus Locations
Rindge, NH 40 University Drive, Rindge, NH 03461
Manchester, NH 670 North Commercial Street, Suite 301, Manchester, NH 03101
Lebanon, NH 46 Centerra Parkway, Suite 200, Lebanon, NH 03766
Phoenix (Goodyear), AZ 14455 West Van Buren Street, Building A, Suite 100, Goodyear, AZ 85338
Austin (Round Rock), TX 301 Seton Parkway, Suite 203, Round Rock, TX 78665