Las Vegas, Nevada Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Las Vegas, Nevada shows: median public in-state tuition $17,126 (+210.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $55,037 (+1.3% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 86.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S.) 63,017 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 23 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 63,017 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $17,126 (+210.7% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,037 (+1.3% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 86.5% (-1.4 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $24,616 (+147.0% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,750
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 35.3%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 76.9%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Las Vegas, Nevada—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Nevada and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Las Vegas vs Nevada & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas, Nevada | $17,126 | $24,616 | $9,500 | 35.3% | 63,017 |
| Nevada (state median) | $4,358 | $10,359 | $9,500 | 38.0% | 95,795 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Las Vegas, Nevada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas, Nevada | $55,037 | 86.5% | 76.9% | 6.9% | — | 63.9% | 0.27 |
| Nevada (state median) | $57,826 | 87.1% | 78.8% | 4.5% | — | 67.7% | 0.29 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Nevada (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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas, Nevada | $17,126 | $24,616 | $9,500 | 35.3% | 63,017 | $55,037 | 86.5% |
| Reno | $6,465 | $19,990 | $10,700 | 46.7% | 24,316 | $60,614 | 91.4% |
| Henderson | $12,086 | $14,068 | $22,249 | 16.8% | 4,321 | $86,664 | 88.5% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, 81.8%, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 50.5%, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 20.0%, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, 87.8%, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 86.5%, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 79.2%, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 most selective colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada (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, 76.5%, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 96.2%, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 100.0%, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, $85,169, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,327, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,188, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, $100,765, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $96,132, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $87,378, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, $84,533, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,865, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,840, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, $88,361, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,396, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $33,491, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, $92,405, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $55,037, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,657, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, $237,504, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $195,590, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $5,212, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada (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, $10,359, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 2, Net Price, $27,073, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
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Rank 3, Net Price, $30,921, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Top 10 colleges in Las Vegas, Nevada 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, 79.2%, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 76.9%, Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 75.0%, Chamberlain University-Nevada
Chamberlain University-Nevada
In-state tuition: Las Vegas, Nevada vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Las Vegas, Nevada median in-state tuition is $17,126, +210.7% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Las Vegas, Nevada vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Las Vegas, Nevada is $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Las Vegas, Nevada vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Las Vegas, Nevada center around $55,037 (+1.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Las Vegas, Nevada vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 86.5% at the median Las Vegas, Nevada campus (-1.4 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
Las Vegas, Nevada median public in-state tuition is $17,126, about +210.7% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is +421.5%.
Median graduate debt is $9,500 (-29.3% below 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 Las Vegas, Nevada are $55,037, about +1.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 86.5% 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% (-1.4 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 76.9% 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 6.9% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 63.9% (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 Nevada-Las Vegas (87.8%), Chamberlain University-Nevada (86.5%), Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas (79.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Las Vegas, Nevada is 35.3% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Las Vegas?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 23 campuses in Las Vegas, Nevada with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Las Vegas?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Las Vegas is $17,126 and median net price is $24,616. For Nevada overall, medians are $4,358 and $10,359; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Las Vegas?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Las Vegas is $55,037 vs $57,826 for Nevada and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Las Vegas colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Las Vegas is $9,500 vs $9,500 for Nevada and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Las Vegas?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas (graduation) and Chamberlain University-Nevada (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Las Vegas?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 23 campuses in Las Vegas, Nevada, 20 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Academy of Hair Design-Las Vegas, College of Southern Nevada, and Las Vegas College.
Sources & related
- Nevada college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON