Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of Nebraska at Kearney in the top 15% for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of Nebraska at Kearney in the top 20% for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Students at University of Nebraska at Kearney benefit from a post-graduation affordability profile that ranks well among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the university's public-tuition structure and Nebraska's cost environment.
Azimuth ranks University of Nebraska At Kearney #440 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Kearney, NE, University of Nebraska At Kearney enrolls roughly 4,088 undergraduates. Retention stands at 80.0% and the six-year graduation rate is 57.7%, reflecting solid degree-completion performance for a regional master's university. The composite is anchored by return on investment and affordability. Azimuth ranks University of Nebraska At Kearney #675 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $56,647, and earn about $3,339 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Nebraska At Kearney in the 71.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program concentration in Business shapes a degree portfolio oriented toward stable, employment-ready career outcomes. Affordability sits in the 77.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a public-tuition structure that keeps net price accessible across income levels. Access and mobility round out the composite picture. 36.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 34.4% are first-generation college students, indicating that University of Nebraska At Kearney serves a broad mix of students from across the economic spectrum. Access sits in the 60.1 percentile and mobility in the 70.3 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the university's role as a regional institution connecting Nebraska students to workforce pathways that compare favorably with the state's no-degree earnings baseline of $34,059.
University of Nebraska At Kearney has a published cost of attendance of $25,808, but net price — what families actually pay after aid — varies substantially by income level. Low-income families pay approximately $13,066; middle-income families pay around $14,547; higher-income families pay approximately $20,664. Azimuth ranks University of Nebraska At Kearney #317 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. University of Nebraska At Kearney is a public institution, which shapes both the sticker price and the aid structure. Need-based aid is available through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional programs. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500. For the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,647, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, projected four-year earnings of $43,994 would shift the real burden of that same debt. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios and to explore how your major choice affects affordability, use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of Puerto Rico At Cayey is a strong fit for students rooted in Puerto Rico who want an affordable public liberal arts experience with a clear orientation toward psychology, education, and the social sciences — fields that lead into teaching, counseling, social work, and community health roles across the island. The earnings case is grounded in regional context. Graduates earn median $56,647 four years after enrollment, placing University of Nebraska At Kearney in the 31.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn about $3,339 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 71.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — a meaningful signal given Puerto Rico's distinct labor market and lower regional earnings baseline relative to the continental United States. The access profile is broad. 36.9% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 34.4% are first-generation college students, making University of Nebraska At Kearney one of the more accessible four-year institutions in the Azimuth coverage set for students who need substantial financial support to attend. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix centers heavily on Business and related social-science fields, so students seeking engineering, business, or pre-professional tracks will find a stronger program match elsewhere; and graduates entering Puerto Rico's local labor market should weigh regional salary norms alongside the university's strong earnings-beyond-expectations standing.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the University Of Nebraska At Kearney hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
45 graduates
Biology, General
43 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
181 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
18 graduates
Agricultural Business and Management
10 graduates
University of Nebraska At Kearney's program mix is anchored in Business, with meaningful enrollment across education, health, and social-science fields — a portfolio that reflects the university's regional identity as a comprehensive public institution serving Nebraska's central corridor. Business accounts for 21% of graduates, followed by Education at 15% and Arts at 4%, together forming the institution's primary degree output across 28 programs.
The program with the strongest combination of cohort scale and earnings is Business Administration, which anchors University of Nebraska At Kearney's financial outcomes by pairing consistent graduate volume with solid four-year pay. Among the most popular programs, Business Administration program graduates 181 students with median earnings of $64,684 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #165 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Teacher Education and General Studies round out the largest footprint programs, each enrolling substantial cohorts and feeding graduates into stable regional labor markets in education and health services. The highest-earning programs at University of Nebraska At Kearney cluster in applied business and technical fields.
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions leads with median earnings of $77,034 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #31 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Biology, General and Business Administration also deliver strong early-career outcomes, with graduates earning $67,151 and $64,684 respectively four years after enrollment — fields where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect current labor-market demand.
For context on how these program families align with national hiring trends, see the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/).
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Suny College Of Technology At Delhi Similar quality tier (#15332 ranked) | NY | 89% | $51,629 | #15332 | Compare |
Grambling State University Similar quality tier (#15331 ranked) | LA | 45% | $41,109 | #15331 | Compare |
East Stroudsburg University Of Pennsylvania Similar quality tier (#15350 ranked) | PA | 92% | $56,148 | #15350 | Compare |
University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Similar quality tier in Midwest (#15325 ranked) | WI | 82% | $58,561 | #15325 | Compare |
Delaware State University Similar quality tier (#15324 ranked) | DE | 47% | $49,307 | #15324 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
University of Nebraska At Kearney has a published cost of attendance of $25,808, but net price — what families actually pay after aid — varies substantially by income level. Low-income families pay approximately $13,066; middle-income families pay around $14,547; higher-income families pay approximately $20,664.
Azimuth ranks University of Nebraska At Kearney #317 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
University of Nebraska At Kearney is a public institution, which shapes both the sticker price and the aid structure. Need-based aid is available through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional programs.
Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500.
For the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,647, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, projected four-year earnings of $43,994 would shift the real burden of that same debt.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios and to explore how your major choice affects affordability, use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of University of Nebraska At Kearney earn median 4-year earnings of $56,647, placing the institution in the 31.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,339 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Nebraska At Kearney in the 71.4 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent meaningful lifetime returns relative to NE's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,059 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential).
The earnings pattern reflects the university's strong business focus, with Business representing 21% of graduates. Business Administration, Management and Operations is the largest program with 181 graduates earning median earnings of $64,684 four years after enrollment, while The Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods program graduates 97 students with median earnings of $41,922. Azimuth ranks Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities #150 among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning $47,600 — 0.9× the national benchmark for the field.
