Concord Ledger

White students were the most represented ethnicity among students at Merrimack County universities in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Of the 146,921 students attending institutions in the county at the time, 50.8% were white. This is an increase of 16.9% in enrollment numbers, compared to the previous year.

Black or African American students comprised the second largest ethnic group in the county, followed by students of unknown ethinicity.

Countywide, the number of undergraduates attending the seven universities in the county during the 2022-23 school year grew by 15%. Southern New Hampshire University reported the largest student body, with 140,865 students.

Graduation rates reveal a significant achievement gap among different ethnicities. While white students graduate at a rate of 62.1%, Black and Hispanic students graduate at a rate of around 40%.

Ethnic Group	% of Total Student Body
White	50.8%
Black or African American	15.5%
Unknown	13.9%
Hispanic	12.8%
Multiracial	3%
Asian	2%
U.S. nonresident	1%
American Indian or Alaskan Native	1%