Start affordably
in Omaha, Nebraska
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Metropolitan Community College Area before finishing a bachelor's degree elsewhere in Nebraska. That choice comes down to real numbers: transfer rates, earnings after graduation, and what it costs you out of pocket.
~17,000 undergrads, 27% transfer out by year 8, median $38,773 10-yr earnings, $8,217 median debt.
Omaha's working-student CC with a 27% transfer-out rate and very low debt
Metropolitan Community College Area enrolls nearly 17,000 undergrads across Omaha, with 69% attending part-time. Twenty-seven percent transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a solid outcome for a college where most students hold jobs and other obligations. Median earnings reach $38,773 ten years out, and median debt is a lean $8,217. The 0% three-year loan default rate removes a major financial risk. Liberal Arts and Sciences leads completions at 342, followed by Automotive Mechanics Technology at 309 and Computer and Information Sciences at 228. In-state tuition is $3,060 and net price is $4,982.
Metropolitan Community College Area is Omaha's main community college, enrolling nearly 17,000 undergraduates — the majority part-time (69%). That part-time reality shapes everything here: students are typically balancing work, family, or both, and the college is built for that population. Liberal Arts and Sciences leads completions at 342 per year, a strong signal that transfer-prep coursework operates at genuine scale. Automotive Mechanics Technology (309 completions) and Computer and Information Sciences (228) show the college also produces workforce-ready graduates at volume. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 27% — above the typical community college range and meaningful evidence that a real fraction of students reach and complete the transfer step. Median earnings ten years out are $38,773, median debt is $8,217, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $3,060 annually, with a net price of $4,982. For an Omaha-area student who needs affordability and flexibility, the numbers hold up.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 342 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 309 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 228 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 211 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 177 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 140 |
| Welding Technology/Welder. | 125 |
| Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician. | 105 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training. | 78 |
| Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 65 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Nebraska transfers tend to go
Reflects state-aggregated IPEDS transfer-in volume — CC-specific destinations are not publicly available from IPEDS or the College Scorecard.
Frequently asked
- Is Metropolitan Community College Area a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data supports it for cost-conscious, transfer-focused students. Twenty-seven percent of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a strong result given that 69% attend part-time. In-state tuition is $3,060 and the average net price is $4,982, so accumulating large debt here is unlikely — median borrower debt is just $8,217. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $38,773, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. That combination of low cost, above-average transfer rate, and clean debt profile makes MCC a reasonable foundation for a bachelor's degree, provided you enter with a clear transfer plan and engage with advising resources early.
- How does Metropolitan Community College Area's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- MCC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 27%. National data consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, putting MCC at or above that benchmark. The 27% figure is measured over eight years, and given that nearly seven in ten students attend part-time — which naturally extends timelines — it reflects genuine transfer momentum rather than a statistical artifact. An additional 40.5% were still enrolled or otherwise engaged at the eight-year mark. The 18% completion rate at MCC itself accounts for students who finished a credential without transferring. Together these numbers suggest MCC functions as an active feeder into the four-year system.
- What programs does Metropolitan Community College Area offer at meaningful scale?
- MCC's highest-volume programs by annual completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (342), Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology (309), Computer and Information Sciences (228), Liberal Arts and Humanities Other (211), and Business Administration and Management (177). HVAC Technology produced 140 completions, Welding Technology 125, and Autobody/Collision Repair 105. Licensed Practical Nurse Training (78) and Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance (65) round out the top ten. The breadth matters: students aiming at a transfer path through liberal arts or business have real infrastructure here. Students targeting technical trades also have well-developed program tracks — MCC is not purely a transfer-prep institution.
Methodology — Transfer signals reflect IPEDS Outcome Measures 8-year cohorts; earnings and debt come from the College Scorecard. Destinations are state-aggregated; we do not claim CC-specific transfer destinations without authoritative per-student tracking data.