by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Nebraska, narrowing things down is no easy task. We have ranked **6** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual reviewed 6 colleges across over 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Here are the top-ranked colleges:
Nebraska Methodist College Of Nursing And Allied Health tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges in Nebraska. Located in Omaha, NE, Nebraska Methodist College Of Nursing And Allied Health is a private not-for-profit institution. About 49% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,934. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $64,158. Nebraska Methodist College Of Nursing And Allied Health students take on a median of $31,121 in debt.
Out of the 6 colleges in Nebraska in this year's ranking, Central Community College landed the #2 spot. This public school is set in Grand Island, NE. Students from in state pay about $3,360 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $4,800. Median early-career earnings reach $43,218. Students borrow a median of $10,277 to complete a degree here.
Out of the 6 colleges in Nebraska in this year's ranking, Clarkson College landed the #3 spot. Based in Omaha, NE, Clarkson College is a private not-for-profit institution. Clarkson College posts a six-year graduation rate of 36%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,104. Graduates go on to earn a median of $77,377 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $30,052.
You'll be in good company at Union College Nebraska, which ranked #4 this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lincoln, NE. Union College Nebraska graduates 58% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $29,334. Union College Nebraska graduates report median early-career earnings of $75,400. The median student debt is $30,938.
Northeast Community College came in at #5 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in Nebraska. Based in Norfolk, NE, Northeast Community College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,840, with out-of-state students paying around $5,130. Early-career graduates earn a median of $40,568. Graduates carry a median of $11,937 in student loans.
Bellevue University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Based in Bellevue, NE, Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit institution. Bellevue University posts a six-year graduation rate of 33%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,873. Median early-career earnings reach $61,548. Graduates carry a median of $27,852 in student loans.
Southeast Community College Area ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Based in Lincoln, NE, Southeast Community College Area is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,444, while out-of-state students pay about $4,032. Southeast Community College Area graduates report median early-career earnings of $44,877. Students borrow a median of $14,935 to complete a degree here.
Metropolitan Community College Area came in at #8 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Omaha, NE. In-state tuition and fees average $3,375, with out-of-state students paying around $4,950. Graduates go on to earn a median of $45,583 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $12,799 to complete a degree here.
Nebraska College Of Technical Agriculture placed #9 among the best colleges in Nebraska. Set in Curtis, NE, Nebraska College Of Technical Agriculture is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,926. Graduates go on to earn a median of $28,610 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $12,127.
Western Nebraska Community College placed #10 among the best colleges in Nebraska. This public school is set in Scottsbluff, NE. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,840, with out-of-state students paying around $4,410. Median early-career earnings reach $62,413. Students borrow a median of $14,507 to complete a degree here.
Mid Plains Community College did well this year, earning the #11 position. Based in North Platte, NE, Mid Plains Community College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,600 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $4,530. Early-career graduates earn a median of $39,396. The median student debt is $14,596.
Little Priest Tribal College landed the #12 spot in Nebraska this year. Based in Winnebago, NE, Little Priest Tribal College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,400.
Nebraska Indian Community College did well this year, earning the #13 position. This public school is set in Macy, NE. In-state tuition and fees average $4,080.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
