Saint Anselm College

Outside of its home state, Saint Anselm College is probably best known for its involvement in the political sphere. Thanks to New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary election, and the college's New Hampshire Institute of Politics, students have seen a slew of big-name politicians, candidates, and former presidents speak in recent decades. The institute offers an upclose look at worldwide politics, and allows students to participate in the democratic process. Saint A's has a well-regarded criminology program, which is among its most popular majors, along with nursing, business, and finance. As its name suggests, the college was founded by the Benedictine order of the Catholic church, and monks still live in a monastery at the Saint Anselm Abbey, which neighbors the campus. Graduates of this liberal arts college earn slightly more than the national average and significantly more than grads of other liberal arts schools; the college also has a significantly high graduation and retention rate. The near 2,000 students can choose from 60 clubs ranging from service-oriented groups to club sports to performing arts organizations.