State Employees Can Now Pursue $2500/Year College Degrees

The State of New Hampshire has partnered with College for America at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester to offer accredited associate’s and bachelor's degrees to all 8,000 state employees and their families at just $2,500 per year. CfA is a nonprofit and fully accredited institution that helps working adults excel in their current jobs and develop skills needed for promotions.

“The new partnership between the State of New Hampshire and College for America will help the employees who serve our state to develop new skills that will help them climb the career ladder,” said Governor Maggie Hassan. “By making higher education more affordable and more accessible, programs like this help expand middle class opportunity, and I applaud College for America for launching this program."

The post-secondary school develops college degrees that focus on building real-world competencies for the workplace. Following last month’s State of the Union address, President Obama unveiled an initiative to upskill America’s employees, referencing College for America and its partners as leaders in developing the skills and careers of frontline workers.

Said Kate McGovern, Bureau Chief for the State Bureau of Education and Training, “The partnership with College for America offers an exciting opportunity for state employees to further their educations and advance their professional credentials.” McGovern continued, “The NH Bureau of Education and Training has been encouraging employees who are interested to check out the online information sessions and see how this innovative program works.” State employees can go to www.collegeforamerica.org/stateofnh for details.

College for America is competency-based program that allows students to work at their own pace, so they can advance quickly through areas they already know and spend more time on new topics and skills. Students master key competencies by completing real-world projects online that reflect critical workplace skills—instead of sitting through lectures. Students can schedule projects around work and family, so college fits into their lives.

Tuition is $2,500 a year, all inclusive. Typically, an associate’s degree from College for America takes roughly two years to complete and a bachelor’s degree is projected to take a total of four years to complete, though some students finish the self-scheduled and self-paced degrees in less time. Students in the associate’s degree program are also eligible for federal financial aid. Fields of study include communications, nonclinical healthcare management, and general studies.

State employee Valorie Harmon is credited with bringing College for America to her employer’s attention. “This is a wonderful opportunity for many state employees,” she said. “There are many winners here: our employer, the employees, and the New Hampshire citizens who we serve each day.” Harmon plans to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program. “For a long time, I have been considering returning to college. The dilemma for me was not the time but the cost,” she continued. “This program makes my goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree manageable.”

State of New Hampshire employees or family members interested in learning more about the program or applying should visit collegeforamerica.org/stateofnh for details.

Other partnerships include employers such as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, McDonald’s, Goodwill International, some of the nation’s largest hospital and health systems, and local employers like the City of Manchester and the NH Fire & EMS personnel.

If you’re a midsize or large employer interested in bringing College for America to your workforce, visit collegeforamerica.org/employers.

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