Why This Matters

  • 14 TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN NEBRASKA

    According to College Navigator, there are 14 two-year institutions that grant associate degrees throughout the state of Nebraska.

  • NEBRASKANS PAID $3,399 IN TUITION

    Data from College Board reveals that the average Nebraska student paid approximately $3,399 in tuition and fees at public, in-district community colleges.

  • 437,899 COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 437,899 students enrolled in two-year associate degree programs in the United States received financial aid during the 2018-19 school year.

Our Research

For this list, we considered both public and private institutions that offer two-year programs and based our selections on tuition costs, the number of credits required to graduate, and the coursework delivery format (such as online or in-person).

To ensure that every program on our list offers an exemplary education, we restricted our selections to accredited institutions. Each of these schools is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a peer-reviewed regional accreditor that examines post-secondary education institutions in the central United States. It measures quality by reviewing the mission, integrity, support systems, available resources, and effectiveness of schools.

  • 12hours to write this article
  • 20universities and colleges we assessed
  • 34education programs we compared

The Top 50 Community Colleges in Nebraska

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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 2020 data, the top five careers with the highest median wages that require an associate degree in Nebraska were air traffic controllers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine technologists, dental hygienists, 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, computer network support specialists, physical therapy assistants, preschool teachers (excluding special education), 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 desktop publishers, morticians and funeral directors, mechanical drafters, aerospace engineering and operations technicians, and air traffic controllers.

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.