Omaha, Nebraska Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Omaha, Nebraska shows: median public in-state tuition $13,963 (+153.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $64,974 (+19.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 95.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $17,000 (+26.6% vs U.S.) 27,854 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 12 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 27,854 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $13,963 (+153.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $64,974 (+19.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 95.7% (+7.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $16,590 (+66.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $17,000 (+26.6% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $17,500
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 59.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 79.8%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Omaha, Nebraska—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Nebraska and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Omaha vs Nebraska & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, Nebraska | $13,963 | $16,590 | $17,000 | 59.5% | 27,854 |
| Nebraska (state median) | $5,400 | $11,632 | $19,250 | 52.2% | 89,648 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Omaha, Nebraska vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, Nebraska | $64,974 | 95.7% | 79.8% | 1.9% | — | 81.9% | 0.36 |
| Nebraska (state median) | $54,124 | 93.8% | 75.0% | 3.0% | — | 80.7% | 0.40 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Nebraska (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, Nebraska | $13,963 | $16,590 | $17,000 | 59.5% | 27,854 | $64,974 | 95.7% |
| Lincoln | $18,695 | $17,840 | $12,000 | 66.5% | 28,809 | $56,646 | 94.4% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Omaha, Nebraska
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 4 | $64,974 | 95.7% | 82.7% | 1.9% | — | 81.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 83.4%, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 59.5%, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 47.1%, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 46.7%, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 96.8%, University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 96.5%, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 95.5%, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 93.4%, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 92.8%, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Top 10 most selective colleges in Omaha, Nebraska (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 73.4%, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 78.2%, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 79.8%, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 87.0%, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,964, University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $79,671, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $77,587, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $73,835, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $72,738, College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,680, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $114,504, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $106,916, University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $104,314, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $81,508, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $76,879, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $73,801, College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $70,417, University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $63,090, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $62,339, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $61,249, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,494, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $72,465, University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $69,364, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $65,073, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $63,758, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $50,883, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $76,833, University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $73,911, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $65,071, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $64,876, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,909, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $241,328, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $219,626, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $204,514, College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $186,916, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $182,330, Creighton University
Creighton University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Omaha, Nebraska (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $13,441, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Rank 2, Net Price, $16,590, College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary
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Rank 3, Net Price, $19,241, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $21,863, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 5, Net Price, $31,568, Creighton University
Creighton University
Top 10 colleges in Omaha, Nebraska by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 94.2%, Creighton University
Creighton University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 85.7%, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 77.9%, University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 60.9%, Clarkson College
Clarkson College
In-state tuition: Omaha, Nebraska vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Omaha, Nebraska median in-state tuition is $13,963, +153.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Omaha, Nebraska vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Omaha, Nebraska is $17,000 (+26.6% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $17,500.
Median earnings (10 years out): Omaha, Nebraska vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Omaha, Nebraska center around $64,974 (+19.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Omaha, Nebraska vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 95.7% at the median Omaha, Nebraska campus (+7.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Omaha, Nebraska median public in-state tuition is $13,963, about +153.3% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +124.3%.
Median graduate debt is $17,000 (+26.6% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Omaha, Nebraska are $64,974, about +19.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 95.7% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+7.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 79.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 1.9% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 81.9% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Nebraska Medical Center (96.8%), Clarkson College (96.5%), Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health (95.5%), Creighton University (93.4%), University of Nebraska at Omaha (92.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Omaha, Nebraska, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $64,974 (4 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Omaha, Nebraska is 59.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Omaha?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 12 campuses in Omaha, Nebraska with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Omaha?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Omaha is $13,963 and median net price is $16,590. For Nebraska overall, medians are $5,400 and $11,632; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Omaha?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Omaha is $64,974 vs $54,124 for Nebraska and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Omaha colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Omaha is $17,000 vs $19,250 for Nebraska and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Omaha?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Creighton University (graduation) and University of Nebraska Medical Center (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Omaha?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 12 campuses in Omaha, Nebraska, 5 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (3), Episcopal Church, Reformed (1), United Methodist (1).
Sources & related
- Nebraska college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON