Three NU campuses dominate.
The Nebraska transfer math is straightforward.
Nebraska students considering CC-first are deciding between two years at a community college before targeting one of three University of Nebraska system campuses — or making a stronger case for Creighton, which delivers the highest earnings in the state at a cost. The University of Nebraska system drives the majority of Nebraska's transfer volume.
Nebraska has 16 four-year destinations and 8 community colleges. 3,265 transfers admitted at the top universities, with the University of Nebraska at Omaha alone taking 1,059 admits at an 87% overall acceptance rate.
Nebraska's transfer pipeline is small, public-dominated, and surprisingly open
Nebraska has 16 four-year institutions and 8 community colleges, with 3,265 transfers admitted across the top destinations. The University of Nebraska at Omaha leads by volume — 1,059 admits at an 87% overall acceptance rate — while the University of Nebraska-Lincoln delivers the best combination of graduation rate (67%) and earnings ($56,887) among the public options. The state's transfer market is not sprawling. It's anchored by three University of Nebraska system campuses that together absorb more than 2,100 of the 3,265 tracked transfers. Two Omaha-based private institutions stand out for earnings: Creighton University posts $73,911 in 10-year median earnings with an 83% six-year graduation rate, and Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health posts $65,071. The community college landscape is led by Metropolitan Community College Area in Omaha (16,642 students, 1,145 annual transfers) and Southeast Community College Area in Lincoln (10,816 students, 677 transfers). Median 10-year earnings across the state's top four-year destinations sit at $54,338 with a median debt of $24,985.
Nebraska has 16 four-year universities and 8 community colleges, and the transfer landscape here is more compact than the state's geography might suggest. The University of Nebraska system — with campuses in Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney — absorbs more than 65% of the state's 3,265 tracked annual transfers. That concentration tells you the essential thing: CC-to-four-year in Nebraska is, for most students, a decision about which NU campus to target.
The data makes the path clear at a high level. The University of Nebraska at Omaha leads transfer intake with 1,059 admits at an 87% overall acceptance rate, followed by UNL at 744 admits with meaningfully stronger outcomes — a 67% six-year graduation rate and $56,887 in 10-year median earnings, both well above UNO's 49% and $53,909. Metropolitan Community College Area in Omaha is the state's largest CC feeder at 16,642 students and 1,145 annual transfers; Southeast Community College Area in Lincoln serves 10,816 students and moves 677 to four-year programs annually. Nebraska is not California's scale — the transfer pipeline is functional but not sprawling — but for a student who knows which NU campus they're targeting, the math is reasonably clean.
Nebraska's CC-to-university transfer landscape by the numbers
With 3,265 annual transfers across 16 four-year institutions, Nebraska's transfer market is functional but not deep. Three University of Nebraska system campuses handle more than 65% of tracked transfer volume, and median 10-year earnings across destinations sit at $54,338 with a $24,985 median debt.
- ✓ University of Nebraska at Omaha admitted 1,059 transfers at an 87% overall acceptance rate — the largest single transfer intake in the state.
- ✓ Creighton University posts the highest earnings in the destination set at $73,911 and an 83% six-year graduation rate with 154 transfer admits.
- ✓ University of Nebraska-Lincoln posts a 67% six-year graduation rate and $56,887 in 10-year earnings at 744 admits and 87% overall acceptance.
- ✓ Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health delivers $65,071 in 10-year median earnings — second in the state — with 220 transfer admits.
- ✓ Metropolitan Community College Area in Omaha sends 1,145 students to four-year universities annually from an enrollment of 16,642.
- ! Only 3,265 total tracked transfers statewide — a modest pipeline compared to larger states with comparable CC enrollment.
- ! Clarkson College shows a 36% six-year graduation rate despite $64,876 in 10-year earnings — only 170 transfer admits and significant completion risk.
- ! Midland University in Fremont posts a 42% six-year graduation rate with $26,134 median debt — the highest debt in the dataset paired with weak completion.
- ! University of Nebraska at Omaha, the state's top-volume transfer destination, carries a 49% six-year graduation rate — below the state's median of 57.3%.
Top transfer destinations
The University of Nebraska at Omaha leads all transfer destinations with 1,059 admits at an 87% overall acceptance rate, followed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at 744 admits — together the two campuses define the primary CC-to-four-year pipeline in Nebraska.
| University | Transfers admitted | Accept rate | 6-yr grad rate | 10-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha | 1,059 | 87% | 49% | $53,909 | $19,000 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln | 744 | 87% | 67% | $56,887 | $21,000 |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney | 296 | 89% | 57% | $50,105 | $19,500 |
| Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha | 220 | 73% | 57% | $65,071 | $23,417 |
| Clarkson College Omaha | 170 | 78% | 36% | $64,876 | $23,716 |
| Creighton University Omaha | 154 | 80% | 83% | $73,911 | $25,000 |
| Midland University Fremont | 126 | 66% | 42% | $52,163 | $26,134 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln | 80 | 80% | 66% | $56,405 | $26,970 |
The University of Nebraska at Omaha sits at the top of Nebraska's transfer intake table with 1,059 admits — more than any other destination in the state. Volume is the headline at UNO, not selectivity: the 87% overall acceptance rate makes it effectively open-admission for most applicants. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln follows at 744 admits at the same 87% rate, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney adds 296 at 89%. Together the three NU campuses handle more than 2,100 of Nebraska's 3,265 tracked transfers. The NU system dominates on volume; selectivity is not the filter here.
The outcome picture is where the destination set gets more interesting. Creighton University in Omaha admitted 154 transfers at an 80% overall acceptance rate — a smaller class but with $73,911 in 10-year median earnings, the highest in Nebraska's destination set by roughly $17,000 over the next-closest general university. Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health posted $65,071 in earnings and Clarkson College $64,876 — both Omaha-based health-sciences institutions whose premium reflects the nursing and allied health labor market rather than institutional prestige alone. For students targeting healthcare fields, those earnings numbers are worth paying attention to.
One important note: the acceptance rates in this dataset come from IPEDS overall figures — they reflect all applicants, not transfer applicants specifically. The actual rate for transfer applicants at any given school may differ. On debt, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Kearney carry the lowest median debt in the public sector at $19,000 and $19,500 respectively, while Midland University in Fremont posts the highest at $26,134 alongside a 42% six-year graduation rate — a combination that deserves scrutiny for any student weighing that destination.
Nebraska community colleges at a glance
Nebraska's community college landscape spans large urban systems and smaller regional campuses. Metropolitan Community College Area anchors the Omaha corridor at 16,642 students, while Southeast Community College in Lincoln serves 10,816 students — the two largest feeders into a pipeline where most transfers flow to University of Nebraska campuses.
Metropolitan Community College Area
- Undergrad16,642
- Transfers-in1,145
- 10-yr earnings$38,773
- Grad rate29%
Southeast Community College Area
- Undergrad10,816
- Transfers-in677
- 10-yr earnings$43,405
- Grad rate38%
Central Community College
- Undergrad6,927
- Transfers-in196
- 10-yr earnings$39,429
- Grad rate48%
Northeast Community College
- Undergrad5,720
- Transfers-in151
- 10-yr earnings$42,634
- Grad rate56%
Mid-Plains Community College
- Undergrad2,140
- Transfers-in70
- 10-yr earnings$40,059
- Grad rate54%
Western Nebraska Community College
- Undergrad1,569
- Transfers-in57
- 10-yr earnings$38,729
- Grad rate37%
6-year completion rates at top destinations
The six-year graduation rates in this grid are overall institutional rates from IPEDS for all enrolled students — not transfer-student-specific completion figures, which are not available in this dataset. They reflect institutional finishing power, not transfer cohort outcomes specifically.
Creighton University leads Nebraska's completion grid at an 83% six-year graduation rate — the strongest in the dataset and a genuine outlier relative to the NU system campuses. For a transfer student landing at Creighton, that completion rate signals an institution that actually finishes its students. University of Nebraska-Lincoln follows at 67% and Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln at 66%, both reasonable numbers for regional university environments.
The spread across the full destination grid is significant. Nebraska Methodist College and the University of Nebraska at Kearney both sit at 57% — around the state median of 57.3%. The University of Nebraska at Omaha, which absorbs the most transfers in the state, posts 49% — below the median and below UNL by 18 percentage points. That gap matters: a student transferring into UNO faces a meaningfully different finishing environment than one who lands at UNL or Creighton. Clarkson College sits at 36%, the lowest in the dataset, which is a meaningful risk signal despite its strong $64,876 earnings figure. These are overall six-year institutional rates from IPEDS for the full entering cohort — transfer-specific completion data is not available in this dataset — but institutions with lower overall completion rates generally present more risk for transfer students as well.
What a bachelor's degree is worth here
The fastest-growing occupations in the state where a bachelor's degree is the typical entry credential — the jobs waiting on the other side of a completed transfer.
| Occupation | Projected growth | Avg openings / yr |
|---|---|---|
| Data Scientists | +30.7% | 140 |
| Software Developers | +24.4% | 650 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | +21.5% | 430 |
| Logisticians | +20.6% | 100 |
| Industrial Engineers | +18.8% | 120 |
| Financial Managers | +18.6% | 490 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | +18.4% | 140 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | +15.8% | 380 |
For most Nebraska students weighing CC-first versus direct enrollment, the data supports starting at a community college when the target is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. UNL admitted 744 transfers at an 87% overall acceptance rate, posts a 67% six-year graduation rate, and delivers $56,887 in 10-year median earnings — the strongest combination of volume, completion, and outcomes among Nebraska's public universities. Southeast Community College Area in Lincoln (677 annual transfers) sits in the same metro as UNL, making it the natural feeder. Metropolitan Community College in Omaha (1,145 transfers) feeds the broader NU system. Two years of CC tuition before entering a public flagship with a 67% graduation rate is a defensible financial decision for most students.
The recommendation is more complicated under two conditions. If the target is UNO rather than UNL — drawn by its larger transfer class or Omaha's job market — be clear-eyed about the 49% six-year graduation rate. It is the state's top-volume transfer destination and an accessible path, but completing a degree there is statistically harder than at UNL. Second, if healthcare or nursing is the intended field, Creighton ($73,911 earnings, 83% graduation rate) and Nebraska Methodist College ($65,071, 57% graduation rate) deliver materially stronger outcomes than the NU public campuses, but both have smaller transfer classes — 154 and 220 admits respectively — meaning that path requires stronger preparation and a specific major target, not an open-ended transfer plan.
How we built Nebraska's transfer picture
Destination universities are Nebraska's 4-year institutions ranked by IPEDS transfer-in volume; we filter out community colleges that IPEDS files under the 4-year sector because they run bachelor's-pilot programs but remain open-admission. Community college spotlights are ranked by IPEDS undergraduate enrollment. 10-year median earnings and median debt at graduation come from College Scorecard; graduation rates come from IPEDS 6-year overall cohorts. Phase 1 deliberately leaves out transfer-specific completion rates (NSC), structured articulation-agreement data (ASSIST, ADT, TAG, FLVC, etc.), and state-funding context — all Phase 2.
Common questions
Is it worth starting at a Nebraska community college before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
The case is solid for most students. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln admitted 744 transfers at an 87% overall acceptance rate with a 67% six-year graduation rate and $56,887 in 10-year median earnings — the strongest combination of volume and outcomes among Nebraska's public universities. Median debt at UNL sits at $21,000. Metropolitan Community College Area in Omaha (1,145 annual transfers) and Southeast Community College Area in Lincoln (677 transfers) are the two largest CC feeder institutions in the state. Starting at either of those CCs puts a student in a well-worn path toward UNL. The financial advantage depends on how much tuition the community college saves in the first two years versus direct enrollment.
Which Nebraska university accepts the most transfer students?
The University of Nebraska at Omaha leads by raw volume with 1,059 transfer admits at an 87% overall acceptance rate. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln follows at 744 admits, also at 87% acceptance but with stronger outcome numbers — a 67% six-year graduation rate versus 49% at UNO, and $56,887 versus $53,909 in 10-year median earnings. The University of Nebraska at Kearney rounds out the public trio at 296 admits and an 89% overall acceptance rate. Together the three NU campuses account for more than 65% of Nebraska's tracked transfer volume.
Is Creighton University worth targeting as a transfer destination from a Nebraska community college?
The outcome data at Creighton is genuinely strong: $73,911 in 10-year median earnings — the highest in Nebraska's destination set by a significant margin — and an 83% six-year graduation rate, also the highest in the dataset. Creighton admitted 154 transfers at an 80% overall acceptance rate and carries $25,000 in median debt. The honest caveat: Creighton is a private university with higher tuition, and the 154 transfer admits is a small class. For students in health sciences, business, or pre-professional programs, the earnings premium is real, but the path is narrower than the public NU campuses.
Which Nebraska community college is best for students planning to transfer?
The dataset covers six spotlight colleges ranked by enrollment and transfer-out volume. Metropolitan Community College Area in Omaha is the largest at 16,642 students and sends 1,145 annually to four-year programs. Southeast Community College Area in Lincoln follows at 10,816 students and 677 transfers. On earnings for those who complete a degree at the CC itself, Southeast CC outperforms at $43,405 versus MCC's $38,773. Northeast Community College in Norfolk has a 56% completion rate — the strongest in the spotlight set — while MCC and Western Nebraska Community College both sit below 40%. Geographic proximity to the target four-year institution is a practical factor the data supports.
How do six-year graduation rates compare across Nebraska's top transfer destinations?
Creighton University leads the destination set at 83% — a strong number for any institution, and particularly notable for a private university. University of Nebraska-Lincoln follows at 67%, Nebraska Wesleyan University at 66%, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney at 57%. Nebraska Methodist College posts 57% despite specialized health-sciences programming. The University of Nebraska at Omaha, which takes in the most transfers of any school in the state, sits at 49% — below the state median. Clarkson College is the outlier at 36%, which is a significant completion risk. These are overall six-year institutional rates from IPEDS, not transfer-specific completion figures.
What do 10-year earnings look like at Nebraska's top transfer destinations?
Creighton University leads at $73,911, followed by Clarkson College at $64,876 and Nebraska Methodist College at $65,071. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln posts $56,887, Nebraska Wesleyan $56,405, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha $53,909. The University of Nebraska at Kearney comes in at $50,105 — the lowest of the three public campuses. Creighton and the two Omaha-area health-sciences institutions post notably higher earnings, but both require more selective admission and carry higher tuition than the NU system schools. The gap between Creighton ($73,911) and UNK ($50,105) is almost $24,000 annually — a meaningful difference over a career.
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