Best colleges for education in Nebraska

    University of Nebraska-Lincoln ranks first in Nebraska for education value (#193 nationally, value score 56.3): graduates earn $48,046 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $16,214 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 8 Nebraska colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best education colleges in Nebraska

    University of Nebraska-Lincoln ranks first in Nebraska for education value (#193 nationally, value score 56.3): graduates earn $48,046 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $16,214 a year. 8 Nebraska colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $45,312 and the average net price is $15,874 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 8 Nebraska colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $45,312 and the average net price is $15,874 a year.
    • The highest education earnings in the state are at University of Nebraska at Omaha ($48,486), ranked #2 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at Peru State College: $10,005 a year.
    Median earnings
    $45,312
    National: $48,822
    Median net price
    $15,874
    National: $17,201
    Median federal debt
    $19,810
    education graduates
    Public colleges
    6 of 8
    in this list

    8 colleges

    The Nebraska ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Nebraska 1

      University of Nebraska-Lincoln

      Lincoln, NE · Public · #193 nationally

      56.3Value
      Earnings
      $48,046
      Net price
      $16,214
      Federal debt
      $20,119
      Graduation rate
      69%
    2. Rank in Nebraska 2

      University of Nebraska at Omaha

      Omaha, NE · Public · #197 nationally

      55.7Value
      Earnings
      $48,486
      Net price
      $12,898
      Federal debt
      $20,446
      Graduation rate
      51%
    3. Rank in Nebraska 3

      Chadron State College

      Chadron, NE · Public · #292 nationally

      46.3Value
      Earnings
      $45,577
      Net price
      $12,662
      Federal debt
      $19,487
      Graduation rate
      48%
    4. Rank in Nebraska 4

      Peru State College

      Peru, NE · Public · #319 nationally

      44.0Value
      Earnings
      $44,850
      Net price
      $10,005
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      37%
    5. Rank in Nebraska 5

      Wayne State College-Nebraska

      Wayne, NE · Public · #345 nationally

      41.6Value
      Earnings
      $43,369
      Net price
      $15,534
      Federal debt
      $17,940
      Graduation rate
      56%
    6. Rank in Nebraska 6

      University of Nebraska at Kearney

      Kearney, NE · Public · #376 nationally

      38.3Value
      Earnings
      $41,922
      Net price
      $17,891
      Federal debt
      $16,167
      Graduation rate
      62%
    7. Rank in Nebraska 7

      Midland University-Nebraska

      Fremont, NE · Private nonprofit · #461 nationally

      27.0Value
      Earnings
      $46,695
      Net price
      $24,320
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      44%
    8. Rank in Nebraska 8

      Concordia University-Nebraska

      Seward, NE · Private nonprofit · #466 nationally

      26.7Value
      Earnings
      $45,047
      Net price
      $24,521
      Federal debt
      $24,750
      Graduation rate
      60%

    Method: the same value score as the national education ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about education colleges in Nebraska

    What are the best colleges for education in Nebraska?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Nebraska colleges for education are University of Nebraska-Lincoln (value score 56.3), University of Nebraska at Omaha (value score 55.7) and Chadron State College (value score 46.3). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Nebraska college has the highest earnings for education graduates?

    University of Nebraska at Omaha: its education graduates have median earnings of $48,486 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable education college in Nebraska on this list?

    Peru State College has the lowest average net price of the ranked Nebraska colleges, $10,005 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Nebraska colleges are ranked for education?

    8 Nebraska colleges have a education bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Nebraska.