Nebraska has around ten colleges producing BSN graduates, including several specialist health colleges in Omaha and Lincoln. This guide ranks them using official federal data and reviews the top five.
Imagine you want to study nursing in Nebraska and are weighing a Jesuit university, a specialist college of nursing and a hospital-linked health sciences college. Nebraska has an unusual number of focused nursing colleges. Here is how they compare.
How we ranked these schools
We used the latest official data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. We included colleges in Nebraska that award a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), and ranked those producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year by their graduation rate. We also show how much their nursing graduates earn and what tuition costs. Graduation rates are for each college as a whole, not nursing students alone.
Nebraska nursing schools ranked (2026)
| Rank | College | City | Type | Graduation rate | BSN graduates a year | BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year) | In-state tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creighton University | Omaha | Private nonprofit | 83% | 279 | $87,259 | $50,960 |
| 2 | Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | Omaha | Private nonprofit | 67% | 197 | $81,083 | $18,071 |
| 3 | Bryan College of Health Sciences | Lincoln | Private nonprofit | 66% | 80 | $78,670 | $21,420 |
| 4 | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Lincoln | Private nonprofit | 64% | 20 | $81,225 | $45,342 |
| 5 | College of Saint Mary | Omaha | Private nonprofit | 60% | 43 | $79,832 | $27,294 |
| 6 | Clarkson College | Omaha | Private nonprofit | 57% | 147 | $83,318 | $16,584 |
| 7 | Union Adventist University | Lincoln | Private nonprofit | 53% | 35 | $77,388 | $30,296 |
| 8 | Midland University | Fremont | Private nonprofit | 43% | 33 | $83,748 | $43,850 |
| 9 | Bellevue University | Bellevue | Private nonprofit | 31% | 52 | n/a | $10,053 |
Also offering a BSN in Nebraska (not ranked: either a comparable graduation rate isn’t reported, often because they mainly enrol transfer, upper-division or adult students, or they’re for-profit career colleges whose college-wide rates aren’t comparable with universities):
| College | City | Type | Graduation rate | BSN graduates a year | BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year) | In-state tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Medical Center | Omaha | Public | n/a | 327 | $78,799 | n/a |
Top Nebraska nursing schools reviewed
1. Creighton University
Creighton University in Omaha is a Jesuit university with a long-established College of Nursing, and tops our Nebraska list.
- Graduation rate: 83%, number 1 in Nebraska on our list
- Programme size: about 279 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, one of the largest in the state
- Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $87,259 one year after graduating
- Cost: $50,960 tuition a year before financial aid
- Acceptance rate: 80%
2. Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Nebraska Methodist College in Omaha is a specialist college of nursing and allied health linked to Methodist Health System.
- Graduation rate: 67%, number 2 in Nebraska on our list
- Programme size: about 197 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
- Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $81,083 one year after graduating
- Cost: $18,071 tuition a year before financial aid
- Acceptance rate: 73%
3. Bryan College of Health Sciences
Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln is affiliated with Bryan Health and focuses entirely on health professions.
- Graduation rate: 66%, number 3 in Nebraska on our list
- Programme size: about 80 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
- Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $78,670 one year after graduating
- Cost: $21,420 tuition a year before financial aid
- Acceptance rate: 67%
4. Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln is a private liberal arts university offering a BSN.
- Graduation rate: 64%, number 4 in Nebraska on our list
- Programme size: about 20 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
- Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $81,225 one year after graduating
- Cost: $45,342 tuition a year before financial aid
- Acceptance rate: 80%
5. College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary in Omaha is a Catholic women’s university with a nursing focus.
- Graduation rate: 60%, number 5 in Nebraska on our list
- Programme size: about 43 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
- Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $79,832 one year after graduating
- Cost: $27,294 tuition a year before financial aid
- Acceptance rate: 45%
The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, with campuses across the state, is the largest public nursing school in Nebraska.
Ways to become a registered nurse in Nebraska
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): a four-year degree, the route covered in this guide, preferred by many hospitals and required for most leadership and advanced roles.
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): a two-year programme, often at community colleges, leading to the same NCLEX-RN exam. Many nurses later complete an RN-to-BSN degree, often online and part-time while working.
- Accelerated BSN (ABSN): for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject, usually 12 to 18 months of intensive study.
- Direct-entry master’s (MSN): offered by some universities for graduates of other fields.
Whichever route you choose, you must graduate from an approved programme and pass the NCLEX-RN exam to be licensed by the Nebraska Board of Nursing. Nebraska is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a multistate licence lets you practise in other compact states.
Frequently asked questions
How many colleges in Nebraska offer a BSN?
Based on the latest College Scorecard data, 10 colleges in Nebraska produce at least 20 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, together awarding around 1,213 BSN degrees annually. Some smaller programmes are not included.
Which Nebraska nursing school has the highest graduation rate?
Creighton University has the highest college-wide graduation rate on our list, at 83%.
Which is the largest nursing programme in Nebraska?
University of Nebraska Medical Center produces the most bachelor’s nursing graduates in the state, about 327 a year.
How much do new BSN graduates earn in Nebraska?
Across the colleges listed, the median first-year earnings of bachelor’s nursing graduates range from $77,388 to $87,259, with a typical (median) figure of about $81,083. Earnings depend on where graduates work, their shift patterns and whether they were already working as nurses.
But is a ranking enough to choose a school?
No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:
- NCLEX pass rates: the Nebraska Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for approved programmes. Look for consistently high rates over several years.
- Accreditation: make sure the BSN is accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
- Getting into the nursing major: many universities admit students as “pre-nursing” first. Ask what share progress into the nursing programme.
- Clinical placements: where students train and how placements are arranged.
- Total cost: use each college’s net price calculator to see your likely cost after financial aid.
Your next step: Shortlist three schools from the table, then check each programme’s NCLEX pass rate on the Nebraska Board of Nursing website before you apply.
Related: US nursing schools with the highest graduation rates · How to get into nursing school
Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026), Nebraska Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.
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