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# Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Nebraska (2026)

Updated October 1, 2026

Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Nebraska lists 18 four-year institutions in Nebraska. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Nebraska, highest first.

The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. [University of Nebraska-Lincoln](/school/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/majors/) ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $62,769 for its graduates four years after completing.

The list includes 7 public and 11 private nonprofit schools. Peru State College posts the lowest average net price at $11,632, while [University of Nebraska at Omaha](/school/university-of-nebraska-at-omaha/majors/) ranks 186th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.

## The ranked list

18 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE | $62,769 | $17,747 | $12,751 | 87.5% |
|  | [University of Nebraska-Lincoln](/school/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/majors/) ranks 1st on this list and reports [median earnings of $62,769](/school/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/outcomes/) for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | University of Nebraska at Omaha · Omaha, NE | $60,448 | $13,441 | $10,534 | 87.0% |
|  | With an [average net price of $10,534](/school/university-of-nebraska-at-omaha/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, [University of Nebraska at Omaha](/school/university-of-nebraska-at-omaha/majors/) ranks 2nd on this page. |
| 3 | Bryan College of Health Sciences · Lincoln, NE | $77,318 | $26,919 | $23,196 | 67.4% |
|  | [Bryan College of Health Sciences](/school/bryan-college-of-health-sciences/majors/), a private nonprofit institution in Lincoln, [admits 67% of applicants](/school/bryan-college-of-health-sciences/admissions/) and posts a six-year completion rate of 70%. |
| 4 | University of Nebraska at Kearney · Kearney, NE | $56,647 | $16,242 | $13,066 | 89.5% |
|  | Graduates of [University of Nebraska at Kearney](/school/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney/majors/) earn a [median of $56,647](/school/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney/outcomes/) four years after completing, and the school's average net price is $16,242. |
| 5 | Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health · Omaha, NE | $74,574 | $21,863 | $17,272 | 73.4% |
|  | [Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health](/school/nebraska-methodist-college-of-nursing-allied-health/majors/) ranks 5th on this list, with a [six-year completion rate of 60%](/school/nebraska-methodist-college-of-nursing-allied-health/outcomes/) and median earnings of $74,574 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | Wayne State College · Wayne, NE | $52,406 | $15,360 | $12,844 | Not reported |
|  | Wayne State College reports an average net price of $12,844 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 52%. |
| 7 | Creighton University · Omaha, NE | $81,178 | $31,568 | $20,472 | 79.8% |
|  | [Creighton University](/school/creighton-university/majors/) ranks 7th on this list and its graduates earn a [median of $81,178](/school/creighton-university/outcomes/) four years after completing, the top earnings figure among the listed schools. |
| 8 | University of Nebraska Medical Center · Omaha, NE | $85,735 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
|  | University of Nebraska Medical Center reports median earnings of $85,735 for its graduates four years after completing and ranks 774th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 9 | Concordia University-Nebraska · Seward, NE | $53,848 | $23,965 | $19,107 | 85.7% |
|  | With an admission rate of 86%, Concordia University-Nebraska ranks 9th on this list and reports an average net price of $23,965. |
| 10 | College of Saint Mary · Omaha, NE | $64,669 | $16,590 | $14,090 | 44.7% |
|  | College of Saint Mary admits 45% of applicants, the lowest admission rate on the page, and its graduates earn a median of $64,669 four years after completing. |
| 11 | Nebraska Wesleyan University · Lincoln, NE | $61,753 | $18,327 | $14,925 | 79.8% |
|  | Nebraska Wesleyan University reports a six-year completion rate of 66% and an average net price of $14,925 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 12 | Chadron State College · Chadron, NE | $51,820 | $12,549 | $10,047 | Not reported |
|  | Chadron State College ranks 12th on this list, with median earnings of $51,820 for its graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,549. |
| 13 | York University · York, NE | $47,078 | $20,951 | $19,343 | 51.9% |
|  | York University reports median earnings of $47,078 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $19,343 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 14 | Peru State College · Peru, NE | $53,258 | $11,632 | $9,986 | Not reported |
|  | Peru State College, a public institution in Peru, carries an average net price of $11,632 and a six-year completion rate of 38%. |
| 15 | Union Adventist University · Lincoln, NE | $61,367 | $23,716 | $19,477 | 100.0% |
|  | Union Adventist University admits 100% of applicants and posts median earnings of $61,367 for its graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | Doane University · Crete, NE | $58,227 | $26,364 | $21,129 | 98.0% |
|  | Doane University ranks 1224th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, alongside a six-year completion rate of 57%. |
| 17 | Hastings College · Hastings, NE | $52,539 | $24,452 | $21,646 | 71.7% |
|  | Hastings College shows an admission rate of 72% and an average net price of $21,646 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 18 | Midland University · Fremont, NE | $58,061 | $26,267 | $21,086 | 66.1% |
|  | Midland University graduates across all fields earn a median of $58,061 four years after completing, and the school reports a six-year completion rate of 42%. |

## How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Nebraska, highest first. The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on [Azimuth's methodology page](/methodology/#mobility). The pillar draws on the median earnings of each institution's federally aided completers, across all fields, who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. It does not adjust for cost or for the academic profile of entering students, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The list of 18 schools includes 7 public and 11 private nonprofit institutions.

## Related rankings

-   [Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges-in-nebraska/)
-   [Highest Paying Colleges in Nebraska](/rankings/highest-paying-colleges-in-nebraska/)
-   [Hidden Gem Colleges in Nebraska](/rankings/hidden-gem-colleges-in-nebraska/)