Why This Matters

  • 12 TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN NEBRASKA

    According to College Navigator, there are 12 two-year institutions that grant associate degrees throughout the state of Nebraska.

  • NEBRASKANS PAID $3,494 IN TUITION

    Data from College Board reveals that the average Nebraska student paid approximately $3,494 in tuition and fees at public, in-district community colleges.

  • 452,493 COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 452,493 students enrolled in two-year associate degree programs in the United States received financial aid during the 2019-20 school year.

Our Research

This list features some of the best community colleges in Nebraska. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a reputable organization that examines objectives, quality and overall effectiveness of education programs throughout the United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Community Colleges in Nebraska

Best Community Colleges In Nebraska Badge 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
Central Community College
01
Best for First-Generation Students
Northeast Community College
01
Most Innovative Curriculum
Western Nebraska Community College
01
Best Dual-Credit Program
Mid-Plains Community College
01
Best Student-to-Faculty Ratio
Southeast Community College
01
Most Affordable
Metropolitan Community College
01
Best Tribal College
Little Priest Tribal College
01
Best in Omaha Nation
Nebraska Indian Community College

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Nebraska

As you prepare for community college, it’s important to consider your career goals. According to 2021 data, the top five careers with the highest median wages that require an associate degree in Nebraska were radiation therapists, air traffic controllers, dental hygienists, diagnostic medical sonographers, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists.

New graduates entering the workforce may encounter challenges while job hunting, so it’s helpful to consider which fields have high employment rates. Occupations projected to have the most annual job openings for associate degree holders in Nebraska are paralegals and legal assistants, preschool teachers (excluding special education), computer network support specialists, agricultural and food science technicians, and radiologic technologists.

Job seekers in Nebraska should also keep in mind which types of careers are expected to decline over the next ten years. The occupations projected to undergo the largest drops in employment for associate degree holders are funeral home managers, morticians, architectural and civil drafters, mechanical drafters, and broadcast technicians.

What’s Next?

One of the most important factors to consider while pursuing higher education is whether or not you will need financial aid. Below, we’ve provided a list of federal and state resources to help associate degree students access grants, scholarships, and financial aid opportunities in Nebraska.

  • Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. This commission helps postsecondary students fund their education by providing information about federal aid, state-based grants, and budgeting.
  • Federal Student Aid. Over $120 billion of financial aid is awarded annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid. Students can determine their eligibility through the FAFSA4caster and apply by completing the online FAFSA form.
  • CareerOneStop. This resource, sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides helpful information about the different scholarships and grants available in every state. After filtering their search by degree level and location, students gain access to details about award amounts, minimum requirements, and application deadlines.