Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
University of Nebraska at Kearney graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early career progression. Median earnings begin at $43,241 six years after enrollment, rise to $48,009 at eight years, and reach $50,105 at ten years after initial enrollment.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $19,500 in debt with typical earnings.
University of Nebraska at Kearney graduates leave with median debt of $19,500, exactly matching the peer median of $21,105, indicating typical borrowing levels for similar institutions. Student debt distribution ranges from $5,500 at the 25th percentile to $24,500 at the 75th percentile, showing most students borrow moderate amounts while some graduate debt-free or with minimal loans.
University of Nebraska at Kearney achieves above average return on investment performance, ranking at the 60.7th percentile nationally. The university generates $4,920 in earnings beyond expectations compared to similar students, placing it at the 73.6th percentile for value-added performance.
Approximately 23.0% of UNK graduates continue to graduate or professional study based on program mix analysis, with medium confidence in this estimate...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Business Administration leads UNK's earnings outcomes at $60,599 median for 152 graduates, demonstrating the program's scale and effectiveness. Health programs including Allied Health ($52,395) and Speech-Language Pathology ($52,970) deliver above-average earnings for moderate-sized cohorts.
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies produces strong earnings of $47,372 with exceptional national ranking performance. Education programs like Agricultural Teacher Education ($47,021) and Adult Education ($38,853) reflect sector-typical compensation while serving important regional workforce needs.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution at University of Nebraska at Kearney spans from $35,587 at the 25th percentile to $67,898 at the 75th percentile, creating a relatively modest 1.9:1 ratio between top and bottom quartiles. Low-income graduates earn $43,500, ranking in the top 50% nationally and demonstrating the university's effectiveness in supporting economic mobility for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
