Best Small Colleges in Nebraska 2025
Small colleges in Nebraska are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.
Key Takeaways
- With smaller class sizes, students at the best small colleges in Nebraska receive individualized instruction and mentorship from faculty, enhancing their academic experience.
- A smaller student body fosters a close-knit campus environment, promoting strong relationships among peers and a supportive social atmosphere.
- Despite their size, the colleges in our ranking offer a wide range of majors and programs, allowing students to pursue various academic interests.
10 Best Small Colleges in Nebraska in 2025
2025 Ranking Update
Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.
In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best small colleges in Nebraska saw a considerable amount of movement. The College of Saint Mary gained the most ranking positions as the college has introduced several enhancements to enrich the student experience. Notably, CSM has launched a spring cohort for its Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program, previously available only in the fall, providing greater flexibility for prospective students. These developments demonstrate CSM’s dedication to offering diverse academic options and maintaining affordability, appealing to students seeking comprehensive and cost-effective programs.
The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Nebraska is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 11 small colleges in Nebraska. The list below of the best small colleges in Nebraska. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.
Best Small Colleges in Nebraska
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #2 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #5 Best Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
59%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1125/25
Career Outlook for degree at Nebraska Wesleyan University
Cost of Degree: $41,712Expenses: $14,482Starting Salary: $52,500Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Nebraska Wesleyan University known for?
Nebraska Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Economics
- History
- Literature
- Physics
- Biology
- Philosophy
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
- #3 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #4 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #8 Best Colleges in Nebraska 2024
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
44%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1080/21
Career Outlook for degree at Midland University
Cost of Degree: $40,270Expenses: $15,878Starting Salary: $44,400Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Midland University known for?
Midland University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Grad Schools in Nebraska 2025 #5 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #9 Best Colleges in Nebraska 2024
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
61%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Doane University
Cost of Degree: $40,491Expenses: $17,345Starting Salary: $48,200Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Doane University known for?
Doane University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Economics
- Education
- Nursing
- Business
- History
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
Doane University’s Online Degrees
BA in Agribusiness
- Required Credits: 123
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Liberal Arts
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BA in Health Sciences
Degree Concentrations
- Leadership
- Pre-Health Professions
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSN in Nursing
Degree Concentrations
- Rn To Bsn
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #4 Best Public Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #6 Best Colleges in Nebraska 2024
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
44%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Chadron State College
Cost of Degree: $7,564Expenses: $15,060Starting Salary: $43,000Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Chadron State College known for?
Chadron State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Chadron State College’s Online Degrees
BA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Accounting
- Accounting Certified Public Accountant
- Agribusiness
- Business Information
- Finance
- Management
- Marketing
- Required Credits: 150
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in General Business
- Required Credits: 161
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Education
Degree Concentrations
- Special Education (K-12)
- Required Credits: 128
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Family Consumer Science
Degree Concentrations
- Child Studies
- Family Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Interdisciplinary Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BAS in Applied Sciences In Technical Occupations
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Geoscience
Degree Concentrations
- Physical Sciences
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #6 Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #6 Best Public Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #10 Best Colleges in Nebraska 2024
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
34%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Peru State College
Cost of Degree: $8,280Expenses: $14,196Starting Salary: $39,600Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Peru State College known for?
Peru State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Biology
- History
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Business
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
Most Influential Alumni
Peru State College’s Online Degrees
BAA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Accounting
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Computer Management Information Systems (Cmis)
- Marketing
- Management
- Public Administration
- Human Resources And Risk Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Management Applied Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
Degree Concentrations
- Administration
- Counseling
- Legal Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #4 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #6 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
55%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Hastings College
Cost of Degree: $36,130Expenses: $16,110Starting Salary: $47,500Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Hastings College known for?
Hastings College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Public Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #6 Best Online MBA Programs in Nebraska
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
51%
Student body
6K
Career Outlook for degree at Wayne State College
Cost of Degree: $7,923Expenses: $14,802Starting Salary: $40,300Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Wayne State College known for?
Wayne State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- History
- Biology
- Political Science
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
Wayne State College’s Online Degrees
BA in Business Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Business Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #5 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #6 Best Grad Schools in Nebraska 2025 #7 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025
Tuition + fees
$22K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
67%
Student body
1K
Career Outlook for degree at College of Saint Mary
Cost of Degree: $23,340Expenses: $13,938Starting Salary: $43,000Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is College of Saint Mary known for?
College of Saint Mary’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- #6 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #8 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #7 Best Online MBA Programs in Nebraska #13 Best Online Master's Programs in Nebraska 2025
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
59%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1125/22
Career Outlook for degree at Concordia University Nebraska
Cost of Degree: $39,330Expenses: $14,120Starting Salary: $44,100Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Concordia University Nebraska known for?
Concordia University Nebraska’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Concordia University Nebraska’s Online Degrees
BS in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Accounting
- Communication
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Healthcare Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #7 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #8 Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #9 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #12 Best Online Colleges in Nebraska 2024
Tuition + fees
$21K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
43%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
962/20
Career Outlook for degree at York University
Cost of Degree: $21,600Expenses: $12,900Starting Salary: $39,000Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is York University known for?
York University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
York University ’s Online Degrees
BA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in General Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #8 Best Christian Colleges in Nebraska 2025 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #10 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2025
Tuition + fees
$27K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
56%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/21
Career Outlook for degree at Union College, Nebraska
Cost of Degree: $27,990Expenses: $14,600Starting Salary: $47,700Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Union College, Nebraska known for?
Union College, Nebraska’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Religious Studies
- Medical
- Communications
- Social Work
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Psychology
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
Nebraska’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest
2021 Ranking Archive
Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
Many states have great small colleges. If you’re interested in looking into what other states have to offer, check out the best small colleges in Oklahoma and Minnesota.