Exeter, New Hampshire (CNN) Hillary Clinton rolled out her college affordability plan Monday, pledging to voters in New Hampshire that "costs won't be a barrier" to secondary education in a Clinton administration.

Hillary Clinton gets a hug from the former president.

Hillary Clinton gets a hug from the former president.

Clinton waves to supporters as former President Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky, Chelsea's husband, join her onstage.

Clinton waves to supporters as former President Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky, Chelsea's husband, join her onstage.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures before speaking to supporters Saturday, June 13 on Roosevelt Island in New York City. The speech was promoted as her formal presidential campaign debut.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures before speaking to supporters Saturday, June 13 on Roosevelt Island in New York City. The speech was promoted as her formal presidential campaign debut.

Both of Clinton's main Democratic rivals - former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont - have already made college affordability plans a cornerstone of their campaigns.

Now Clinton has announced what her campaign is calling the "New College Compact," a pledge to tackle the cost of college, making low interest grants and loans more available and ensure the federal government "will never again profit off student loans for college students."

"College is supposed to help people achieve their dreams, but more and more paying for college actually pushes those dreams further and further out of reach," Clinton said at Exeter High School. "That is a betrayal of everything college is supposed to represents."

She touted the plan as a way to lower college costs while at the same time making it easier for American families to send their children to school. Clinton said college affordability is "one of the most important ways we can ease the burden on families and one of the single biggest ways we can actually raise incomes, by making college affordable and available to every American."

Clinton will do this,she says, by providing incentives to states that agree to provide "no-loan tuition at four-year public colleges and universities." States that agree, under the Clinton plan, will win grants from the federal government.

Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Hillary Clinton accepts the Democratic Party's nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016. The former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state was the first woman to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party. Hide Caption 1 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Before marrying Bill Clinton, she was Hillary Rodham. Here she attends Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Her commencement speech at Wellesley's graduation ceremony in 1969 attracted national attention. After graduating, she attended Yale Law School. Hide Caption 2 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Rodham was a lawyer on the House Judiciary Committee, whose work led to impeachment charges against President Richard Nixon in 1974. Hide Caption 3 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In 1975, Rodham married Bill Clinton, whom she met at Yale Law School. He became the governor of Arkansas in 1978. In 1980, the couple had a daughter, Chelsea. Hide Caption 4 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Arkansas' first lady, now using the name Hillary Rodham Clinton, wears her inaugural ball gown in 1985. Hide Caption 5 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons celebrate Bill's inauguration in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991. He was governor from 1983 to 1992, when he was elected President. Hide Caption 6 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Bill Clinton comforts his wife on the set of "60 Minutes" after a stage light broke loose from the ceiling and knocked her down in January 1992. Hide Caption 7 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In June 1992, Clinton uses a sewing machine designed to eliminate back and wrist strain. She had just given a speech at a convention of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Hide Caption 8 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton jokes with her husband's running mate, Al Gore, and Gore's wife, Tipper, aboard a campaign bus. Hide Caption 9 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton accompanies her husband as he takes the oath of office in January 1993. Hide Caption 10 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons share a laugh on Capitol Hill in 1993. Hide Caption 11 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton unveils the renovated Blue Room of the White House in 1995. Hide Caption 12 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton waves to the media in January 1996 as she arrives for an appearance before a grand jury in Washington. The first lady was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. The Clintons' business investment was investigated, but ultimately they were cleared of any wrongdoing. Hide Caption 13 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons hug as Bill is sworn in for a second term as President. Hide Caption 14 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first lady holds up a Grammy Award, which she won for her audiobook "It Takes a Village" in 1997. Hide Caption 15 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons dance on a beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 1998. Later that month, Bill Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Hide Caption 16 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton looks on as her husband discusses the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 26, 1998. Clinton declared, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." In August of that year, Clinton testified before a grand jury and admitted to having "inappropriate intimate contact" with Lewinsky, but he said it did not constitute sexual relations because they had not had intercourse. He was impeached in December on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Hide Caption 17 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first family walks with their dog, Buddy, as they leave the White House for a vacation in August 1998. Hide Caption 18 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight President Clinton makes a statement at the White House in December 1998, thanking members of Congress who voted against his impeachment. The Senate trial ended with an acquittal in February 1999. Hide Caption 19 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton announces in February 2000 that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat in New York. She was elected later that year. Hide Caption 20 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton makes her first appearance on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Hide Caption 21 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Sen. Clinton comforts Maren Sarkarat, a woman who lost her husband in the September 11 terrorist attacks, during a ground-zero memorial in October 2001. Hide Caption 22 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton holds up her book "Living History" before a signing in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2003. Hide Caption 23 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton and another presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, applaud at the start of a Democratic debate in 2007. Hide Caption 24 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton talk on the plane on their way to a rally in Unity, New Hampshire, in June 2008. She had recently ended her presidential campaign and endorsed Obama. Hide Caption 25 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama is flanked by Clinton and Vice President-elect Joe Biden at a news conference in Chicago in December 2008. He had designated Clinton to be his secretary of state. Hide Caption 26 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, as secretary of state, greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a meeting just outside Moscow in March 2010. Hide Caption 27 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons pose on the day of Chelsea's wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in July 2010. Hide Caption 28 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In this photo provided by the White House, Obama, Clinton, Biden and other members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in May 2011. Hide Caption 29 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton checks her Blackberry inside a military plane after leaving Malta in October 2011. In 2015, The New York Times reported that Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as secretary of state. The account, fed through its own server, raises security and preservation concerns. Clinton later said she used a private domain out of "convenience," but admits in retrospect "it would have been better" to use multiple emails. Hide Caption 30 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton arrives for a group photo before a forum with the Gulf Cooperation Council in March 2012. The forum was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hide Caption 31 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton bow during the transfer-of-remains ceremony marking the return of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who were killed in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012. Hide Caption 32 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton ducks after a woman threw a shoe at her while she was delivering remarks at a recycling trade conference in Las Vegas in 2014. Hide Caption 33 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, now running for President again, performs with Jimmy Fallon during a "Tonight Show" skit in September 2015. Hide Caption 34 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton testifies about the Benghazi attack during a House committee meeting in October 2015. "I would imagine I have thought more about what happened than all of you put together," she said during the 11-hour hearing. "I have lost more sleep than all of you put together. I have been wracking my brain about what more could have been done or should have been done." Months earlier, Clinton had acknowledged a "systemic breakdown" as cited by an Accountability Review Board, and she said that her department was taking additional steps to increase security at U.S. diplomatic facilities. Hide Caption 35 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders shares a lighthearted moment with Clinton during a Democratic presidential debate in October 2015. It came after Sanders gave his take on the Clinton email scandal. "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails. Let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Hide Caption 36 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton is reflected in a teleprompter during a campaign rally in Alexandria, Virginia, in October 2015. Hide Caption 37 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton walks on her stage with her family after winning the New York primary in April. Hide Caption 38 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight After Clinton became the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, this photo was posted to her official Twitter account. "To every little girl who dreams big: Yes, you can be anything you want -- even president," Clinton said. "Tonight is for you." Hide Caption 39 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama hugs Clinton after he gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The president said Clinton was ready to be commander in chief. "For four years, I had a front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment and her discipline," he said, referring to her stint as his secretary of state. Hide Caption 40 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton arrives at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony in New York on September 11. Clinton, who was diagnosed with pneumonia two days before, left early after feeling ill. A video appeared to show her stumble as Secret Service agents helped her into a van. Hide Caption 41 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton addresses a campaign rally in Cleveland on November 6, two days before Election Day. She went on to lose Ohio -- and the election -- to her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Hide Caption 42 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight After conceding the presidency to Trump in a phone call earlier, Clinton addresses supporters and campaign workers in New York on Wednesday, November 9. Her defeat marked a stunning end to a campaign that appeared poised to make her the first woman elected US president. Hide Caption 43 of 43

Clinton also pledged to continue President Barack Obama's free tuition plan at community colleges, as well as ensuring that students will "never have to pay more than 10% of their income when repaying the loan."

"We need to make a quality education affordable and available to anyone who is willing to work for it -- without saddling them with decades of debt," Clinton said.

Michael Dannenberg, a director at Education Reform Now, heralded Clinton's plan for not being a "typical more money for college aid approach."

"This plan exemplifies the fact that both resources and reform are key to any pragmatic, progressive approach to higher education and K-12 challenges," Clinton said.

$350 billion over 10 years

According to the Clinton campaign, the plan will cost $350 billion over 10 years but will be "fully paid for by limiting certain tax expenditures for high-income taxpayers." Part of those limits would be cutting back on the value of itemized dedications for high earners, something Congress would have to approve.

Republican critics jumped on this aspect of Clinton's plan.

"What Hillary Clinton won't say is that her new $350 billion spending plan comes at the expense of charities across the country as she limits the deduction for charitable giving," said Jeff Bechdel, a spokesman for America Rising PAC, an anti-Clinton group.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican candidate, said Clinton's proposal was "irresponsible."

"We don't need more top-down Washington solutions that will raise the cost of college even further and shift the burden to hardworking taxpayers," Bush said.

Clinton's campaign also released a video highlighting a number of students who have been saddled with up to $200,000 in student debt.

"Higher education should be a right, not a privilege for those who can afford it," the video argues.

Clinton said Monday that the best way to combat lifting American incomes is by investing in education.

"College graduates earn $570,000 more on average in their careers than high school graduates," read a Clinton campaign fact sheet on the plan. "Graduates of community college, career training, certificate programs and coding boot camps also earn more."

Competing college plans

College affordability is a hot topic on the Democratic side of the 2016 presidential race.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley unveiled a debt-free college plan in July, promising to lower tuition at state college and universities and tying loan repayment to income.

"Unless we act now, more and more students will not be able to afford higher education at all, putting the American Dream even further out of reach," the former governor said in a statement.

After Clinton rolled out her plan, the O'Malley campaign needled Clinton for releasing the plan after the former Maryland governor.

"Debt-free college is an issue where Governor O'Malley has led, not followed," said Lis Smith, O'Malley's top strategist. "We need big, bold goals like Governor O'Malley's vision to make college debt-free for all students, and Governor O'Malley's plan to expand pell grants and freeze college tuition is the standard of how to get us there."

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders promised voters earlier this year that he would make all four-year public college and universities tuition free.

"We have a crisis in higher education today," Sanders said earlier this year in announcing his plan. "Too many of our young people cannot afford a college education, and those who are leaving college are faced with crushing debt."

Sanders has pitched the plan as something other countries have done, including Germany, Denmark and Finland.

Clinton will continue rolling out her plan during a two-day swing through New Hampshire with events in Exter and Manchester on Monday and with another town hall in in Claremont and a community forum on substance abuse in Keene on Tuesday.

Debt-free college has been a particularly important issue for the progressive base of the Democratic Party.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has pushed hard for each 2016 Democrat to back a "debt-free college" plan and has pledged to hold candidates to their plans.

"Hillary Clinton's plan is very big and ambitious -- leading to debt-free college and increased economic opportunity for millions of Americans," PCCC co-founder Adam Green said. "The center of gravity on higher education has shifted from tinkering with interest rates to making college debt free -- and Clinton's bold proposal is emblematic of the rising economic populist tide in American politics."