Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Nebraska
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Nebraska8 schools
8 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in Nebraska.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Lincoln, NE · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.8 years
- Earnings $70,845 ten years out
- 2
Creighton University
Omaha, NE · Private nonprofit#1 in Nebraska
- Pays back in about 4.9 years
- Earnings $73,911 ten years out
- 3
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Omaha, NE · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.2 years
- Earnings $65,071 ten years out
- 4
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE · Public#3 in Nebraska
- Pays back in about 8.3 years
- Earnings $56,887 ten years out
- 5
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Lincoln, NE · Private nonprofit#5 in Nebraska
- Pays back in about 9.1 years
- Earnings $56,405 ten years out
- 6
College of Saint Mary
Omaha, NE · Private nonprofit#2 in Nebraska
- Pays back in about 11.1 years
- Earnings $54,338 ten years out
- 7
Union Adventist University
Lincoln, NE · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Pays back in about 14.2 years
- Earnings $55,045 ten years out
- 8
Doane University
Crete, NE · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Pays back in about 21.3 years
- Earnings $53,316 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan College of Health Sciences | $26,919 | $24,985 | $70,845 | 70% |
| Creighton University | $31,568 | $25,000 | $73,911 | 83% |
| Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | $21,863 | $23,417 | $65,071 | 60% |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | $17,747 | $21,000 | $56,887 | 67% |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University | $18,327 | $26,970 | $56,405 | 66% |
| College of Saint Mary | $16,590 | $24,250 | $54,338 | 61% |
| Union Adventist University | $23,716 | $27,000 | $55,045 | 52% |
| Doane University | $26,364 | $25,000 | $53,316 | 57% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13