Regional university
#5 Best colleges in NebraskaNebraska Wesleyan University
Lincoln, NE · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $18,327 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,970 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#140 of 690
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#233 of 1,046
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#154 of 681
In Nebraska
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Nebraska#1 of 8
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Nebraska#1 of 8
- Best colleges for history in Nebraska#3 of 15
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Nebraska#4 of 19
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Nebraska#3 of 14
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Nebraska#3 of 14
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Nebraska#3 of 13
- Best colleges for music in Nebraska#3 of 13
- Best colleges for business in Nebraska#4 of 17
- Best small colleges in Nebraska#3 of 12
- Best colleges for education in Nebraska#4 of 16
- Best colleges for English in Nebraska#4 of 16
- Best colleges for mathematics in Nebraska#4 of 16
- Best colleges for psychology in Nebraska#4 of 16
- Best colleges in Nebraska#5 of 19
- Best colleges for art and design in Nebraska#4 of 15
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Nebraska#5 of 17
- Best colleges for accounting in Nebraska#3 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.66%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,189 · ACT 24.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$7,085
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $53,569 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,531 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 26% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 27% |
| Total students | 1,690 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $18,327 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $53,569 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,970 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 66% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 54% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 54% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 74% |
| First-year retention | 75% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $56,405 |
| Admission rate | 80% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $926 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 34% |
| Average SAT | 1189 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 490–660 |
| SAT math | 530–630 |
| ACT composite | 22–27 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 48% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Accounting | |
| Business (general) | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Social work | |
| Theatre |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Clinical and counseling psychology, Criminal justice, Criminology, Data Analytics, Economics, English, Ethnic and gender studies, Finance, Fine arts, German, Global studies, History, International business, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Mathematics, Music, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Philosophy, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Physics, Political science, Public health, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Sociology, Sociology and Anthropology, Special education, Systems Science and Theory, Teacher education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Business | |
| Education |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,915 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · American Rivers Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 62%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $43,812IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 59% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Lincoln Airport (LNK)About 6 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)About 51 miles away |
| Town population | 294,856Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | LincolnIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 24°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lincoln 8 Ene, NE, about 4 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.42 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.60 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 2.42 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.81 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 35% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Nebraska Wesleyan University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $18,327 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Nebraska Wesleyan University?
- Nebraska Wesleyan University admitted 80% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Nebraska Wesleyan University’s graduates do?
- 66% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $56,405; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,970.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 181446
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (small programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): United Methodist
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