Best Small Colleges in Nebraska 2023

Published: Apr 20, 2021
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

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.

Union College, Nebraska 98%
Concordia University Nebraska 85%
Nebraska Wesleyan University 82%
Doane University 77%
Hastings College 71%
Midland University 64%
York University 62%
College of Saint Mary 38%

Peru State College 20 to 1
Wayne State College 20 to 1
Midland University 17 to 1
Chadron State College 17 to 1
Hastings College 14 to 1
Concordia University Nebraska 14 to 1
Nebraska Wesleyan University 13 to 1
York University 12 to 1
Doane University 11 to 1
College of Saint Mary 9 to 1

Nebraska Wesleyan University $38,334
Doane University $37,880
Midland University $36,746
Concordia University Nebraska $36,310
Hastings College $33,590
Union College, Nebraska $26,060
College of Saint Mary $21,800
York University $19,900
Peru State College $7,680
Wayne State College $7,618

Union College, Nebraska $27,840
College of Saint Mary $17,638
Midland University $13,473
Hastings College $10,680
Peru State College $9,120
Concordia University Nebraska $8,650
Doane University $8,407
Nebraska Wesleyan University $7,400
York University $5,100
Chadron State College $4,650

York University
Concordia University Nebraska
Union College, Nebraska
College of Saint Mary
Wayne State College
Hastings College
Peru State College
Midland University
Doane University
Chadron State College

College of Saint Mary 38%
York University 62%
Midland University 64%
Hastings College 71%
Doane University 77%
Nebraska Wesleyan University 82%
Concordia University Nebraska 85%
Union College, Nebraska 98%

College of Saint Mary 9 to 1
Union College, Nebraska 9 to 1
Doane University 11 to 1
York University 12 to 1
Nebraska Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Hastings College 14 to 1
Concordia University Nebraska 14 to 1
Midland University 17 to 1
Chadron State College 17 to 1
Peru State College 20 to 1

Chadron State College $5,208
Wayne State College $7,618
Peru State College $7,680
York University $19,900
College of Saint Mary $21,800
Union College, Nebraska $26,060
Hastings College $33,590
Concordia University Nebraska $36,310
Midland University $36,746
Doane University $37,880

Wayne State College $4,185
Chadron State College $4,650
York University $5,100
Nebraska Wesleyan University $7,400
Doane University $8,407
Concordia University Nebraska $8,650
Peru State College $9,120
Hastings College $10,680
Midland University $13,473
College of Saint Mary $17,638

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Nebraska

Students can choose from 29 higher learning institutions, including community colleges, technical institutes, religious colleges, and public universities. Of the 15 public campuses, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln is the largest, with over 22,000 students. Coming in under the national average, the university’s tuition rate is $9,000, and students can earn their degree in fields such as law, mathematics, communication, and sociology.

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The most affordable schools in the state are its six community colleges with tuition ranging from $3,000 to $4,000. Nebraska also has 12 religiously affiliated institutions, including those with Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, and Lutheran influences. At $40,000 in tuition, Creighton University is both the largest and most expensive of these schools, and it boasts a 95% employment rate after graduation.

As one of the largest corn producers in the country, it’s no wonder Nebraska’s nickname is The Cornhusker State. The state is also home to an unusual monument - Carhenge. Replicating England’s famous Stonehenge, this structure is made out of vintage American automobiles that have been painted gray and lodged into the ground. With the Great Plains, over 20,000 square miles of sand dunes, and a portion of the Badlands, Nebraska offers a unique setting for students looking to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.

Mental health, dental, and other health care professionals working in shortage areas can apply for loan repayment awards through the Nebraska Loan Repayment Program. Doctors and dentists may qualify for up to $200,000.

Come check out the top programs and earn your degree in Nebraska.

What are Nebraska’s Colleges & Universities?

Nebraska’s Best Overall

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.

How do we determine Nebraska's best small colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Small Colleges in Nebraska 2022

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2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 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.

Best Small Colleges in Nebraska 2023

10 Best Small Colleges in Nebraska 2022

Colleges and Universities in Nebraska

What are Nebraska’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Small Colleges in Nebraska 2022

Most Influential Alumni

Chadron State College’s Online Degrees

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Doane University’s Online Degrees

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Wayne State College’s Online Degrees

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Peru State College’s Online Degrees

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Concordia University Nebraska’s Online Degrees

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York University ’s Online Degrees

Nebraska’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest