More selective than 21% of Nebraska colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,697. College Scorecard.
Higher than 89% of Nebraska colleges we cover and 73% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 68% of Nebraska colleges we cover and 61% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Nebraska-Lincoln acceptance rate & admissions
Of 18,354 applicants, University of Nebraska-Lincoln admitted 14,146 and 4,699 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1098–1330 on the SAT or 22–28 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Nebraska-Lincoln tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Nebraska residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Nebraska-Lincoln costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Nebraska-Lincoln took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Nebraska. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,751 | $54,829 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $13,054 | $56,132 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $14,699 | $63,206 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $18,975 | $81,593 | 4.0 years |
| $110k+ | $22,346 | $96,088 | 4.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (49% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($56,887) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NE (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,338 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln majors, earnings & careers
University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers 96 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 25
- Engineering · 16
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Business & Finance · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Arts & Design · 7
- Health & Medicine · 5
- Communications & Media · 3
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
Highest-earning majors at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $116,221 | $20,572 |
| Computer Engineering | $103,934 | $20,240 |
| Electrical Engineering | $100,972 | $19,750 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $96,908 | — |
| Management Science / Analytics | $96,087 | $24,250 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,972 | $24,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $88,628 | $24,964 |
| Chemical Engineering | $88,067 | $27,816 |
Quick list of all 96 majors
- Accounting$78,760
- Agricultural / Animal / Plant / Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other—
- Agricultural and Food Products Processing—
- Agricultural Business$65,312
- Agricultural Engineering$96,908
- Agricultural Mechanization$74,003
- Agricultural Public Services—
- Agriculture$52,997
- Agriculture / Veterinary Preparatory Programs—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Animal Sciences$49,193
- Anthropology$47,485
- Apparel and Textiles$51,654
- Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services$59,376
- Architectural Engineering—
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Architecture$62,700
- Area Studies—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biochemistry$64,521
- Biological / Biosystems Engineering$76,741
- Biology$64,930
- Botany / Plant Biology—
- Business Administration$67,918
- Business Economics$83,175
- Chemical Engineering$88,067
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$81,620
- Classical and Ancient Studies$40,615
- Classics—
- Communications$59,017
- Computer and Information Sciences$116,221
- Computer Engineering$103,934
- Computer Science—
- Construction Engineering—
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician$88,628
- Construction Management—
- Criminal Justice$57,236
- Dance—
- Data Science—
- Economics$75,784
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$48,046
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,293
- Electrical Engineering$100,972
- Engineering—
- English$48,785
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation$46,817
- Ethnic / Gender Studies$42,635
- Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies$48,305
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$77,504
- Food Science and Technology—
- Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services$61,092
- Forestry—
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- History$47,944
- Hospitality Management$53,777
- Interior Architecture$62,201
- International / Global Studies$54,106
- International Business—
- Journalism$53,618
- Landscape Architecture—
- Legal Professions and Studies, Other—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Science / Analytics$96,087
- Marketing$74,165
- Mathematics$79,251
- Mechanical Engineering$88,972
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies—
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$62,095
- Music$47,990
- Philosophy—
- Physics$71,752
- Plant Sciences$61,946
- Political Science$63,466
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$49,965
- Public Relations and Advertising$61,145
- Security / Homeland Security$58,037
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Sociology$45,674
- Soil Sciences—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$60,001
- Special Education$47,592
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$60,420
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$41,549
- Theatre$44,825
- Veterinary / Animal Health Technologies / Technicians—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- Zoology / Animal Biology—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Public Relations and Advertising → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Lincoln
Overall prices in the Lincoln, NE area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,230. Housing costs 16% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 31 inches of rain a year, 26 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Lancaster County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lancaster County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Nebraska-Lincoln with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Nebraska by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 87% | $17,747 | 67% | $56,887 | This school |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | 87% | $13,441 | 47% | $53,909 | |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | 89% | $16,242 | 58% | $50,105 | |
| Wayne State College | — | $15,360 | 52% | $47,075 | |
| Chadron State College | — | $12,549 | 50% | $47,002 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Nebraska-Lincoln would cost you $4,306 more per year than University of Nebraska at Omaha, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$2,246).
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln gives aided families $1,271 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Nebraska resident | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | UNOMAHA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,434 | $8,718 | +$1,716 |
| Books & supplies | $1,250 | $1,120 | +$130 |
| Housing & meals | $13,856 | $11,610 | +$2,246 |
| Personal & travel | $3,442 | $3,874 | −$432 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,285 | −$4,202 | +$1,917 |
| Sticker price | $26,697 | $21,120 | +$5,577 |
| Average grants | −$8,950 | −$7,679 | −$1,271 |
| You pay | $17,747 | $13,441 | +$4,306 |
“+” means University of Nebraska-Lincoln costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Nebraska-Lincoln
What is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln acceptance rate?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln accepts 87% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 14,146 of 18,354 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1098–1330 on the SAT or 22–28 on the ACT.
How much does University of Nebraska-Lincoln cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,697 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,747 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,751 and families earning $110k+ pay $22,346.
How much do University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduates earn?
Former University of Nebraska-Lincoln students earn a median $56,887 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduation rate?
67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 86% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Nebraska-Lincoln degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Nebraska-Lincoln costs about $63,206 after grants ($14,699 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $56,887 ten years after starting, $20,338 more than high school graduates in Nebraska ($36,549), so the cost is repaid in 3.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is University of Nebraska-Lincoln the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Nebraska-Lincoln: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-nebraska-lincoln (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).