University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0419
About University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a public research university in Lincoln, Nebraska, with about 19,178 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 87.49% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $56,887 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln charges about 1.9× the national public median tuition ($10,434).
- Versus the Nebraska median, sticker tuition is 5% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 66.97%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $56,887.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at University of Nebraska-Lincoln is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 701% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
University of Nebraska-Lincoln awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 156 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $10,434 | $17,747 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Nebraska (state median) | $9,903 | $11,632 | 31 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is University of Nebraska-Lincoln really?
Key findings
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln charges about 1.9× the national public median tuition ($10,434).
- Versus the Nebraska median, sticker tuition is 5% above.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $10,434
Finding University of Nebraska-Lincoln charges about 1.9× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $10,434. That is about 1.9× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Nebraska median ($9,903), sticker tuition is 5% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 12% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at University of Nebraska-Lincoln versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at University of Nebraska-Lincoln versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at University of Nebraska-Lincoln is $17,747.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $17,747 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,115 above the Nebraska median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $2,306 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At University of Nebraska-Lincoln, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for University of Nebraska-Lincoln—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$10,434
Out-of-state tuition
$28,584
Avg. net price
$17,747
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $12,751 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $13,054 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $14,699 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $18,975 |
| $110,001+ | $22,346 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $41,736. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What University of Nebraska-Lincoln is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General420
- Psychology, General293
- Finance, General204
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General198
- Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General168
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 33% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1191
- Midpoint ACT: 25
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is University of Nebraska-Lincoln a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Campus
Location
Lincoln, NE
City / state
- ZIP
- 68588-0419
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 11% below the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
19,178
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 20,501
- Graduate
- 4,692
- Full-time share
- 96%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$21,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 22.77%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at University of Nebraska-Lincoln was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for University of Nebraska-Lincoln in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $8,060 | $21,388 | $16,294 |
| 2014 | $8,170 | $22,090 | $16,177 |
| 2015 | $8,367 | $22,534 | $16,705 |
| 2016 | $8,537 | $23,058 | $17,311 |
| 2017 | $8,978 | $24,098 | $17,784 |
| 2018 | $9,242 | $25,038 | $18,086 |
| 2019 | $9,522 | $25,828 | $17,208 |
| 2020 | $9,690 | $26,820 | $17,013 |
| 2021 | $9,872 | $27,002 | $16,764 |
| 2022 | $9,872 | $26,984 | $16,131 |
| 2023 | $10,108 | $27,748 | $17,424 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1191 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 25 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported total enrollment of about 19,178 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 50% male and 50% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (75.5%), Hispanic or Latino (9.6%), and Asian (4.1%). About 22.77% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 22.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
95.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2024 is 19,178 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 20,501 students. Graduate enrollment is about 4,692 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
86.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
49.67% 100% Completion Time
66.97% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 49.67% of students graduating from University of Nebraska-Lincoln completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 62% male / 38% female
- Psychology, General: 17% male / 83% female
- Finance, General: 78% male / 22% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates earn a median of $56,887 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $56,887. Median federal loan debt: $21,000. Average net price used in cost models: $17,747.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates report median earnings of $56,887 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (156 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for University of Nebraska-Lincoln—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$1.29B
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Nebraska median 47× the median ($27.4M)
- Plains median 54× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 49× the median ($26.4M)
- Nebraska median 4.3× the median ($14,089)
- Plains median 4.0× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 5.0× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 85.3%
- Nebraska median 25.6 pp above median (59.7%)
- Plains median 20.6 pp above median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 27.3 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,658
- Nebraska median 1.8× the median ($7,042)
- Plains median 1.8× the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $13,023
- Nebraska median 1.3× the median ($9,991)
- Plains median 1.6× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln at a glance
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a public institution in Lincoln, NE, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralPsychology, GeneralFinance, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian75.5%Hispanic or Latino9.6%Asian4.1%
Schools near University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Other campuses in Lincoln, NE when available, plus nearby institutions in Nebraska.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Nebraska, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is University of Nebraska-Lincoln located?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln is located in Lincoln, NE.
What is University of Nebraska-Lincoln's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of Nebraska-Lincoln is 87.5% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 18,354 applicants and 14,146 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is University of Nebraska-Lincoln's tuition?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $10,434 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $17,747 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does University of Nebraska-Lincoln cost?
Reported tuition is $10,434 and average net price is $17,747 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,120 annually.
What explains University of Nebraska-Lincoln's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($17,747), completion (67.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($56,887). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln reports undergraduate enrollment of about 20,501 students, White (75.5%), Hispanic or Latino (9.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
About 22.0% of students at University of Nebraska-Lincoln are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, University of Nebraska-Lincoln reports midpoint SAT about 1191 and midpoint ACT about 25.
What do graduates of University of Nebraska-Lincoln earn?
Median earnings are $47,692 six years after entry and $56,887 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
The 150%-time completion rate is 67.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of Nebraska-Lincoln students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,000.
Is University of Nebraska-Lincoln public or private?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, NE.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Nebraska college profile
- Nebraska college costs
- Nebraska colleges by ROI
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln vs University of Nebraska at Omaha vs Bellevue University
- Lincoln, Nebraska city profile
- Plains regional profile
- Urban (City) college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Nebraska
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.