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Lincoln, NE · Wayne, NE
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Wayne State College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $17,747/yr | $15,360/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $12,751/yr | $12,844/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,000 | $19,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $13,054/yr | $11,698/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $14,699/yr | $13,851/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $18,975/yr | $16,841/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $22,346/yr | $18,905/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $223/mo | $201/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $14,120/yr | $10,142/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $14,120/yr | $10,142/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,100/yr | $1,536/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,000/yr | $3,798/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $26,697/yr | $22,565/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $10,434/yr | $8,216/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $28,584/yr | $8,216/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 23% | 26% |
| Students taking federal loans | 33% | 32% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 87% | No data reported |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1098–1330 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1191 | No data reported |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 22–28 | No data reported |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 21–28 · Math 20–27 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | No data reported |
| Applications received | 18,354 | No data reported |
| Students accepted | 14,146 | No data reported |
| Students who enrolled | 4,699 | No data reported |
| Accepted students who enroll | 33% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 8% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 83% | No data reported |
| High-school GPA | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| High-school transcript | Required | No data reported |
| Essay | Not considered | No data reported |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | No data reported |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| College-prep program | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | No data reported |
| Work experience | Not considered | No data reported |
| English proficiency test | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | No data reported |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | No data reported |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 67% | 52% |
| Freshmen who come back | 86% | 72% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $56,887/yr | $47,075/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $40,131–$80,043 | $33,248–$63,570 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 66% | 54% |
| White students graduating | 69% | 57% |
| Black students graduating | 44% | 10% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 56% | 41% |
| Asian students graduating | 74% | 50% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $47,692/yr | $40,857/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 80% | 69% |
| Graduate on time | 50% | 36% |
| Pell students who graduate | 56% | 39% |
| First-gen students who finish | 54% | 49% |
| Low-income students who finish | 52% | 38% |
| Students who transfer out | 20% | 31% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $53,022/yr | $43,712/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 21% · Engineering 10% · Family & Consumer Sciences 8% | Education 24% · Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Homeland Security & Protective Services 9% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 21% of degrees | Education — 24% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 10% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Family & Consumer Sciences — 8% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Agriculture & Veterinary Science — 8% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $113,196/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $69,533/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 24% | 23% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 19,178 | 3,010 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 4,692 | 764 |
| Average professor pay | $12,658/mo | $8,347/mo |
| Full-time professors | 85% | 50% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $71,878 | $56,926 |
| Setting | City (large) | Town (distant) |
| Location | Lincoln, NE | Wayne, NE |
| Region | Plains | Plains |
| Founded | 1869 | 1910 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.8% | 6% |
| Men | 50% | 43% |
| Women | 50% | 57% |
| White students | 76% | 76% |
| Black students | 2.9% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 9.6% | 10% |
| Asian students | 4.1% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Other / not reported | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 22% | 34% |
| Part-time students | 4.1% | 7% |
| Students age 25+ | 3.4% | 7.2% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $13,023/yr | $7,016/yr |
| Endowment | $1.5B | $33.3M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 5,814 | 1,529 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $8,106/yr | $4,330/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,750/yr | $4,790/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 18 meals/week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division II with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 20 | 11 |
| Student athletes | 618 | 320 |
| Athletic scholarships | $12.7M | $1.5M |
| Athletics budget | $198.5M | $7.1M |
| Athletics revenue | $205.8M | $7.1M |
| Recruiting spend | $3.2M | $73,931 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.