University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska · Public · 87.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) scores 64 and lands in the Fair Value tier - a solid public-university outcome built on cheap in-state tuition and strong tech/engineering programs. In-state tuition is $8,718 (out-of-state $23,206), net price is $13,441, and total four-year cost runs about $53,764. Average earnings six years after entry are $38,600 and reach a median $53,909 by year ten, producing a 35.2% earnings premium (sub-score 76) and a 10.2-year payback period. Median debt is moderate at $19,000 with a 0.492 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 75). The three-year repayment rate of 76.9% is decent (sub-score 60). The drag on the overall score is the 47.1% completion rate (sub-score 33). UNO's value case is strongest for in-state Nebraska students entering its computer science, engineering, business, and IT programs, where the combination of low cost and strong Omaha-market placement produces clean A and B+ ROI grades.
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,718/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $23,206/yr |
| Average net price | $13,441/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,764 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,909 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $201 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,488 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,718/year ($23,206/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,441/year, or roughly $53,764 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $10,534/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,466/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,000, which works out to about $201 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,600) and comes to 0.49, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,534 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,614 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,324 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,540 |
| $110,001+ | $19,466 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $10,534 net per year, about $42,136 over four years. That is a very strong number for a four-year public and is achievable with Pell plus state aid.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-110,000) pay $12,324-$15,540 net per year, putting four-year cost at $49,000-$62,000. Aid scaling is smooth and monotonic here, which is unusual and a credit to the school's pricing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $19,466 per year (about $77,864 over four years). The aid gradient between top and bottom brackets is real - about $9,000/year - and the price even at the top tier remains reasonable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Nebraska at Omaha with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $55,947 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,957 | C |
| Teacher Education | $48,486 | C |
| Psychology | $50,826 | C |
| Biology | $62,982 | C |
| Computer Science | $107,248 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $68,065 | B |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $44,386 | D |
| Mathematics | $65,245 | B |
| Social Work | $50,169 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts is the largest program at 306 graduates with $40,892 first-year earnings and $55,947 by year four. Debt is $26,310 and debt-to-earnings is 0.643 for a C grade. This is the modal UNO student outcome and reflects the structural earnings ceiling of broad humanities/social science degrees in the Omaha labor market.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 242 students with $38,756 first-year earnings and $57,957 by year four. Debt is $22,561 and debt-to-earnings is 0.582 for a C grade. UNO has strong placement into Omaha law enforcement, federal, and state corrections roles, and the program is one of its larger pipelines.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 152 students earning $41,326 in year one and $48,486 by year four - the typical flat teacher earnings curve. Debt is $24,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.581 for a C grade. The credential supports stable Nebraska school district employment but does not produce meaningful earnings growth.
Computer Science
Computer Science graduates 102 students with $73,971 first-year earnings and $107,248 by year four. Debt is $21,595 and debt-to-earnings is 0.292 for a B+ grade. This is among the strongest ROI cases at UNO and reflects Omaha's growing tech employer base (First National Bank, Mutual of Omaha, federal contractors).
Computer/Information Technology Administration
IT Administration graduates 51 students with $79,671 first-year earnings and $114,504 by year four. Debt is just $10,500 and debt-to-earnings is 0.132 for an A grade. This is the cleanest ROI in the catalog and shows the upside of UNO's tech pipelines when paired with low borrowing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 70.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 70.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Nebraska at Omaha’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 87.0% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-26 |
| Enrollment | 11,488 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 34.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,293 |
UNO admits 87.0% of applicants with an ACT composite mid-range of 19-26 (SAT mid-ranges not reported). This is open-access by the numbers, consistent with its mission as the metro Omaha access campus. The combination of high admit rate with a 47% completion rate is the standard commuter-school pattern: the admissions screen lets students in, but external life pressures (work, family) drive much of the attrition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska at Omaha (this school) | 64 | $13,441 | $53,909 |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | 67 | $17,707 | $65,865 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 64 | $14,158 | $55,356 |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato | 62 | $19,139 | $56,922 |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | 55 | $16,242 | $50,105 |
| Chadron State College | 50 | $12,549 | $47,002 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 11,488 with a 34.7% Pell rate, a working-middle-class metro public student body. UNO is built for in-state Nebraska students, particularly those entering its engineering, IT, computer science, business, and aviation programs where outcomes are strongest. It works less well for students drawn to fine arts, music, or writing-focused humanities, where earnings stay weak and debt loads compress against modest salaries. The 77% repayment rate suggests graduates land in stable Omaha-area jobs.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Nebraska at Omaha is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $13,441 a year after aid ($53,764 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $53,909 a decade out, the cost takes about 10.2 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 47.1% graduation rate.
Median debt of $19,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Nebraska at Omaha: Common Questions
Is University of Nebraska at Omaha worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Nebraska at Omaha is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 64/100 on our ROI scale. At $13,441 a year after aid ($53,764 over four years) against $53,909 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 10.2 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Nebraska at Omaha cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,441 a year, or roughly $53,764 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Nebraska at Omaha graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $53,909 ten years after enrolling, roughly $12,109 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Nebraska at Omaha?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 10.2 years for University of Nebraska at Omaha. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Nebraska at Omaha graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,000, against average earnings of $38,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Nebraska at Omaha?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.1%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.