Business Schools in Nebraska
Located just “north of center” right above Kansas on the map, Nebraska is the heart of the Great Plains region of the United States. The state’s flat terrain is ideally suited to agriculture, and Nebraska is a major producer of beef, pork, soybeans, and corn, the last of these reflected in its nickname: “The Cornhusker State.” The 37th state to join the United States, in 1867, Nebraska’s government is unique in that it is the only state with a non-partisan and unicameral legislature, meaning that it contains only one body of representatives, with no separate House and Senate. In addition to its well-known role in America’s breadbasket, Nebraska’s economy is driven by freight transport, manufacturing, information technology, and insurance.
Nebraska has many business school options given its small population of under two million: data from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) shows 21 public and non-profit schools that grant undergraduate business degrees in the state. However, only a small percentage of these are accredited: just 9 of the 21. Choosing an accredited college does restrict your choices to some degree. Still, it ensures that the program you select has clear objectives and has proven that it produces quality outcomes while adhering to national and international standards. Accredited business schools also typically offer a richer educational experience by offering interaction with real businesses.
All of the schools in this article have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and/or International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). They are all public or non-profit and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
In this article, you will find all the essential data you need to help you choose the Nebraska business school that best suits your unique needs, based on various key factors, including tuition, financial aid, entrance exam scores, acceptance rates, and more. The sections that follow describe undergraduate programs and job prospects for business school graduates in Nebraska.
Undergraduate Business Schools in Nebraska
Nebraska is mostly very affordable for business school, but with a couple of exceptions. The overall average tuition for our 9 schools is a little over $14,000, but this is somewhat deceptive: two schools are well above this figure (Concordia University – Nebraska at $28,500 and Creighton University at $37,600). Simultaneously, one is close to the average (York College at $17,700), and the other 6 are all under $9,000. Thus, if you are on a budget, you should have no problem finding a good match in the state. Average financial aid is a generous $9,800, though obviously this also is brought higher by figures from the more expensive colleges.
We were able to obtain acceptance rate data for 6 of our schools, and they are quite good. The colleges’ average is a very high 73%, with the lowest at York College (50%) and the highest at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (86%). All of the schools except York College are over 70%.
The graduation rates for undergraduate business degrees in Nebraska are middling, with one exception. The overall average is 54%, which isn’t great but also isn’t terrible. A meager 13% graduation rate weighs down this figure at Bellevue University. Creighton University has the highest graduation rate at 74%. That same school has the best combination of acceptance rate and graduation rate (71% and 74%, respectively), with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln just behind at 75% and 67%.
The table below shows you all the important data you need about undergraduate business schools in Nebraska, including annual in-state tuition costs, average aid per student, acceptance rates, SAT and ACT score ranges of accepted students, and graduation rates. Click any column header to sort the table based on its contents.
| School | City | Tuition | Aid | Accept. Rate | Grad. Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue University | Bellevue | $7,365 | $4,384 | 13% | |
| Chadron State College | Chadron | $6,510 | $5,626 | 43% | |
| Concordia University-Nebraska | Seward | $28,480 | $18,432 | 73% | 67% |
| Creighton University | Omaha | $37,606 | $20,454 | 71% | 74% |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney | $6,844 | $7,750 | 85% | 57% |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | Omaha | $7,204 | $7,970 | 86% | 45% |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln | $8,537 | $7,279 | 75% | 67% |
| Wayne State College | Wayne | $6,462 | $5,479 | 48% | |
| York College | York | $17,700 | $10,540 | 50% | 68% |
Job Outlook for Business School Graduates in Nebraska
From 2016 to 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data predicts total growth of at least 5% in 32 of 37 business and management occupations across the US. The highest growth will be for market analysts and marketing specialists, at 22.8% over ten years, with financial managers coming in second at 18.7%.
While perhaps not often thought of as an economic powerhouse, Nebraska has among the strongest employment figures in the United States. Its unemployment rate has bested the national average by several points for all of the last three decades, not even hitting 5% at the height of the Great Recession, when the US hit 10% as a nation. Its current unemployment rate is only 2.9%, well below the US average of 4%. About 74,000 people were employed in the business and management sector in Nebraska in 2016. The largest subgroup was general and operations managers at 16,390, about double the next largest subgroup, accountants and auditors, at 8,340.
According to BLS data, Nebraska ranked near the middle of the pack, 23rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for overall average annual wage across all occupations in 2016 at $56,927, just a touch below the national average of $57,617. Business and management occupations had a weighted average annual salary of around $82,480 that same year. Chief executives were the highest-paid category at $227,700, a surprisingly high figure relative to the averages—perhaps this has been impacted by Nebraska being Warren Buffett’s home state? Most management positions fell between $90,000 and $120,000. The lowest-paid of the groups was credit counselors at $31,640.
| Occupation Title | BLS.gov Code | 2016 Total Employment Nebraska | Mean Hourly Wage Nebraska | Mean Annual Wage Nebraska | National Growth 2016-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | 13-2011 | 8,340 | $32 | $66,140 | 8.0% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 11-3011 | 1,670 | $44 | $92,060 | 9.1% |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | 11-2011 | 100 | $36 | $74,330 | 5.8% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 11-9041 | 570 | $59 | $121,980 | 7.4% |
| Budget Analysts | 13-2031 | 290 | $31 | $63,630 | 10.4% |
| Business Operations Specialists | 13-1199 | 4,370 | $36 | $74,850 | 10.1% |
| Chief Executives | 11-1011 | 780 | $109 | $227,730 | 11.9% |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 11-3111 | 180 | $53 | $111,040 | 0.187 |
| Compensation, and Benefits Specialists | 13-1141 | 540 | $29 | $60,270 | 5.6% |
| Compliance Officers | 13-1041 | 3,010 | $31 | $65,330 | 5.0% |
| Construction Managers | 11-9021 | 2,450 | $45 | $93,780 | 8.9% |
| Cost Estimators | 13-1051 | 1,410 | $28 | $58,120 | 10.3% |
| Credit Analysts | 13-2041 | 560 | $34 | $69,980 | 11.4% |
| Credit Counselors | 13-2071 | 1,250 | $15 | $31,640 | 5.5% |
| Financial Analysts | 13-2051 | 1,530 | $34 | $70,220 | 4.9% |
| Financial Examiners | 13-2061 | 480 | $36 | $74,570 | 8.2% |
| Financial Managers | 11-3031 | 2,810 | $57 | $117,670 | 10.6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 11-1021 | 16,390 | $47 | $96,730 | 7.1% |
| Human Resources Managers | 11-3121 | 870 | $52 | $107,920 | -7.8% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 13-1071 | 4,280 | $29 | $59,600 | 6.9% |
| Information Systems Managers | 11-3021 | 2,020 | $58 | $121,040 | 12.0% |
| Insurance Underwriters | 13-2053 | 1,540 | $34 | $69,760 | 10.2% |
| Labor Relations Specialists | 13-1075 | 400 | $27 | $55,560 | 8.5% |
| Loan Officers | 13-2072 | 3,010 | $40 | $83,430 | 11.5% |
| Logisticians | 13-1081 | 990 | $28 | $57,310 | 22.8% |
| Management Analysts | 13-1111 | 2,270 | $39 | $80,400 | 8.8% |
| Market Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 13-1161 | 3,100 | $27 | $55,270 | 10.0% |
| Marketing Managers | 11-2021 | 1,360 | $49 | $100,970 | 6.5% |
| Meeting and Event Planners | 13-1121 | 440 | $22 | $45,410 | 8.4% |
| Public Relations and Fundraising Managers | 11-2031 | 700 | $45 | $93,400 | 10.8% |
| Purchasing Managers | 11-3061 | 430 | $49 | $102,610 | -5.2% |
| Sales Managers | 11-2022 | 1,990 | $49 | $102,180 | 9.8% |
| Tax Examiners and Revenue Agents | 13-2081 | 180 | $28 | $58,590 | 13.9% |
| Tax Preparers | 13-2082 | 310 | $21 | $43,870 | 11.5% |
| Training and Development Managers | 11-3131 | 380 | $45 | $93,430 | -0.6% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 13-1151 | 2,570 | $28 | $58,070 | 10.8% |
Other Popular State Pages
- Business Schools in Wyoming
- Business Schools in South Dakota
- Business Schools in Colorado
- Business Schools in Kansas
- Business Schools in Missouri
- Business Schools in Iowa
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics:https://nces.ed.gov/
2. AACSB, Best Business Schools:https://bestbizschools.aacsb.edu/aacsb-accredited
3. ACBSP, Business Schools:https://acbsp.org/page/accreditation-overview
4. IACBE, Business Schools:https://iacbe.org/accreditation/
5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational Outlook Handbook, Business and Financial Occupations: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm
6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics – Employment and Wage Estimates Nebraska: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ne.htm
7. US News & World Report, Best Business Schools: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools