This May, the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) will graduate 347 nursing students across the state, a record high in over a decade. Of those, 290 will graduate prepared to become Registered Nurses (RN) and 57 as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), ready to enter a healthcare workforce stretched thin across the state.
“We’re proud of all our graduates for the success they’ve achieved academically and for the contributions they make to New Hampshire’s workforce, but the positive impacts they have on their communities across the Granite State might be particularly visible among our Nursing program graduates whose work touches lives in so many important ways,” said Chancellor Mark Rubinstein.
The graduates enter a sector with critical staffing demands. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and social assistance is projected to add roughly 5.2 million jobs nationally between 2024 and 2034, an 8.4 percent growth rate driven by an aging population and rising chronic conditions, making it the fastest-growing sector in the U.S. economy.
The need is especially acute in New Hampshire. The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projects that while 2,280 LPNs will be working in the state in 2030, 3,640 will be needed, a gap of more than 1,300. Rubinstein noted, “Nurses are the cornerstone of our healthcare system, and we are fortunate to have exceptional nurse educators across our seven colleges who provide New Hampshire with the nation’s best prepared nurses, translating to better patient outcomes and improved quality of life for Granite Staters.”
“New Hampshire hospitals are deeply grateful for the Community College System of New Hampshire’s continued leadership in building the state’s healthcare workforce pipeline,” said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. “These graduates will make an immediate impact in communities across our state, helping hospitals and healthcare providers meet growing patient needs while strengthening access to care close to home. Expanding nursing and allied health education opportunities is essential to addressing workforce shortages and ensuring a strong, sustainable healthcare system for New Hampshire’s future.”
Since 2010, more than 5,000 CCSNH students have completed Nursing programs across the system’s seven colleges. CCSNH also offers programs in Surgical Technology, Paramedic Emergency Medicine, Radiologic Technology, Medical Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Respiratory Therapy, Orthopedic Technology and other healthcare fields.
CCSNH is a lead institution in the state’s Rural Healthcare Transformation program, administered through the Governor’s GO-NORTH initiative. The multi-year effort is designed to strengthen career pathways and increase the number of qualified healthcare professionals in high-demand fields including Nursing, Allied Dental Health and Paramedic Medicine. Goals of the program include expanding access to short-term credentials, increasing program capacity, strengthening apprenticeship models and building clearer pathways from high school to employment.
About CCSNH
The Community College System of NH consists of seven colleges offering associate degree and certificate programs, professional training, transfer pathways to four-year degrees and dual-credit partnerships with NH high schools. Colleges include Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth; Lakes Region Community College in Laconia; Manchester Community College; Nashua Community College; NHTI – Concord’s Community College; River Valley Community College in Claremont, Lebanon and Keene; and White Mountains Community College in Berlin and Littleton. CCSNH serves more than 25,000 students statewide, providing affordable access to a high-quality education. For more information, visit CCSNH.edu.
