State Rankings

Best Colleges in Nebraska

Top colleges in Nebraska ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 30

Avg grad earnings: $52,189

Public / Private: 15 / 15

Top Colleges in Nebraska

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	Creighton University Omaha#127 national	Private	$73,911	72.3%	1,296	80.5%	$47,000
2	Bryan College of Health Sciences Lincoln#214 national	Private	$70,845	62.9%	N/A	75.5%	$20,070
3	Clarkson College Omaha#242 national	Private	$64,876	64.3%	N/A	75.0%	$15,168
4	University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln#396 national	Public	$56,887	77.1%	1,191	65.8%	$27,748
5	Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha#469 national	Private	$65,071	88.3%	N/A	66.7%	$18,173
6	Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln#639 national	Private	$56,405	83.8%	1,209	68.9%	$41,658
7	University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney#878 national	Public	$50,105	85.8%	1,089	59.8%	$14,260
8	Concordia University-Nebraska Seward#965 national	Private	$52,415	90.0%	1,148	64.1%	$39,330
9	University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha#988 national	Public	$53,909	86.9%	1,120	47.5%	$22,358
10	Wayne State College Wayne#1102 national	Public	$47,075	N/A	N/A	55.7%	$7,970
11	Bellevue University Bellevue#1103 national	Private	$61,289	N/A	N/A	55.9%	$8,886
12	Southeast Community College Area Lincoln#1194 national	Public	$43,405	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,260
13	Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha#1211 national	Public	$38,773	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,815
14	Hastings College Hastings#1233 national	Private	$51,303	69.9%	N/A	53.3%	$36,130
15	Mid-Plains Community College North Platte#1296 national	Public	$40,059	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,530
16	Northeast Community College Norfolk#1353 national	Public	$42,634	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,130
17	Doane University Crete#1364 national	Private	$53,316	89.5%	N/A	55.9%	$40,491
18	Central Community College Grand Island#1398 national	Public	$39,429	N/A	N/A	N/A	$4,800
19	Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff#1441 national	Public	$38,729	N/A	N/A	N/A	$3,360
20	Midland University Fremont#1540 national	Private	$52,163	66.9%	1,043	43.2%	$40,270
21	Chadron State College Chadron#1888 national	Public	$47,002	N/A	N/A	38.1%	$8,078
22	Peru State College Peru#1953 national	Public	$47,071	N/A	N/A	37.7%	$8,280
23	University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha	Public	$76,833	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
24	Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Curtis	Public	$56,887	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,756
25	Union Adventist University Lincoln	Private	$55,045	99.9%	N/A	45.9%	$27,990
26	College of Saint Mary Omaha	Private	$54,338	44.0%	1,120	59.4%	$23,340
27	CHI Health School of Radiologic Technology Omaha	Private	$48,110	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
28	York University York	Private	$44,130	47.6%	988	37.4%	$21,600
29	Nebraska Indian Community College Macy	Public	$31,458	N/A	N/A	16.7%	$4,080
30	Summit Christian College Gering	Private	N/A	14.3%	N/A	66.7%	$8,278

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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