Colleges › Nebraska › University of Nebraska at Kearney

University of Nebraska at Kearney

University of Nebraska at Kearney is based in the town of Kearney, NE — a public campus in a small-town setting.

What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$13,187

family income
under $30k

$13,627

$30–48k

$14,549

$48–75k

$18,575

$75–110k

$20,731

over $110k

Average net price

$16,2422023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at University of Nebraska at Kearney rose from $11,928 (2008) to $16,242 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$11,928
2009	$9,339
2010	$11,523
2011	$13,226
2012	$14,313
2013	$15,100
2014	$15,488
2015	$15,823
2016	$16,644
2017	$16,603
2018	$16,017
2019	$17,099
2020	$16,611
2021	$17,417
2022	$16,488
2023	$16,242

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$25,8082024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at University of Nebraska at Kearney rose from $15,862 (2009) to $25,808 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$15,862
2010	$16,801
2011	$17,384
2012	$18,218
2013	$19,212
2014	$19,797
2015	$20,352
2016	$20,967
2017	$21,605
2018	$22,469
2019	$22,806
2020	$23,319
2021	$23,361
2022	$23,925
2023	$24,452
2024	$25,808

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition (in-state vs out-of-state)

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition — data
Year	In-state	Out-of-state
2000	$3,032	$5,120
2001	$3,204	$5,820
2002	$3,606	$6,622
2003	$4,000	$7,392
2004	$4,618	$8,514
2005	$4,644	$8,626
2006	$4,788	$8,898
2007	$5,098	$9,454
2008	$5,018	$9,296
2013	$6,542	$12,370
2014	$6,586	$12,744
2015	$6,711	$12,981
2016	$6,844	$12,268
2017	$7,294	$13,194
2018	$7,512	$13,742
2019	$7,752	$13,854
2020	$7,962	$14,164
2021	$7,986	$14,238
2022	$7,984	$13,786
2023	$8,302	$14,260

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

University of Nebraska at Kearney reports tuition of $8,676 for in-state students and $15,284 for out-of-state students. Check University of Nebraska at Kearney’s residency rules, attendance budget and aid offer. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

At 4,088 undergrads, University of Nebraska at Kearney is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.

57.7% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at University of Nebraska at Kearney within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

57.7%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at University of Nebraska at Kearney rose from 32.5% (entered 1991) to 57.7% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	32.5%
1992 cohort	32.8%
1993 cohort	41.6%
1994 cohort	36.5%
1995 cohort	39.2%
1996 cohort	43.3%
1997 cohort	46.6%
1998 cohort	55.2%
1999 cohort	55.2%
2000 cohort	51.7%
2001 cohort	57.7%
2002 cohort	58.6%
2003 cohort	59.2%
2004 cohort	57.6%
2005 cohort	60.6%
2006 cohort	55.9%
2007 cohort	53.2%
2008 cohort	56.4%
2009 cohort	55.9%
2010 cohort	56.9%
2011 cohort	61.3%
2012 cohort	58.4%
2013 cohort	55.8%
2014 cohort	58.9%
2015 cohort	58%
2016 cohort	54.1%
2017 cohort	59.8%
2018 cohort	57.7%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$11,837	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$11,882	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$12,996	$3,229
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$13,662	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$12,756	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$11,750	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$14,109	$3,750
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,295	$3,938
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$14,300	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$15,138	$5,250
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$15,053	$5,250
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$15,125	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$15,427	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$15,750	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$16,359	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$17,770	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$19,557	$6,419
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$20,447	$7,000
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$21,000	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$20,980	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$19,500	$7,819
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$19,261	$7,677
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$19,250	$7,572
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$19,500	$8,250

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$43,241

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$48,009

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$50,105

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

University of Nebraska at Kearney admitted 4,728 of 5,283 applicants in Fall 2024. The 89.5% rate describes that application pool.

89.5%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $8,302 in-state tuition · 2023–24 4,088 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 905–11251600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, University of Nebraska at Kearney received 5,283 applications and admitted 4,728 (89.5%), with 875 enrolling.

University of Nebraska at Kearney reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For University of Nebraska at Kearney’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 495–575 and Math was 410–550 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 905–1125 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	495	520	575
SAT Math	410	510	550
ACT Composite	19	22	26

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

89.5%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	96.2%
Fall 2002	96.2%
Fall 2003	87.9%
Fall 2004	84%
Fall 2005	84.2%
Fall 2006	83.3%
Fall 2007	79.1%
Fall 2008	80.2%
Fall 2009	76.5%
Fall 2010	85.4%
Fall 2011	86.4%
Fall 2012	85.3%
Fall 2013	84.9%
Fall 2014	84.1%
Fall 2015	85.4%
Fall 2016	85.1%
Fall 2017	81.8%
Fall 2018	93.6%
Fall 2019	85.2%
Fall 2020	88.4%
Fall 2021	90.3%
Fall 2022	86%
Fall 2023	85.8%
Fall 2024	89.5%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

905–1125Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2002	870	1140
Fall 2003	840	1090
Fall 2004	910	1200
Fall 2005	840	1170
Fall 2006	870	1150
Fall 2007	820	1120
Fall 2008	820	1340
Fall 2009	770	1360
Fall 2010	880	1090
Fall 2011	890	1140
Fall 2012	980	1190
Fall 2013	860	1070
Fall 2014	900	1070
Fall 2015	860	1070
Fall 2016	830	1020
Fall 2017	1035	1143
Fall 2018	935	1120
Fall 2019	990	1168
Fall 2020	960	1100
Fall 2021	938	1133
Fall 2022	1000	1200
Fall 2023	970	1150
Fall 2024	905	1125

IPEDS Fall 2002–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

19–26Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	19	25
Fall 2002	19	24
Fall 2003	19	24
Fall 2004	19	24
Fall 2005	19	24
Fall 2006	20	25
Fall 2007	19	25
Fall 2008	20	25
Fall 2009	20	25
Fall 2010	20	25
Fall 2011	20	25
Fall 2012	20	25
Fall 2013	20	25
Fall 2014	20	25
Fall 2015	20	25
Fall 2016	19	25
Fall 2017	19	25
Fall 2018	19	26
Fall 2019	20	26
Fall 2020	19	26
Fall 2021	18	25
Fall 2022	19	25
Fall 2023	18	25
Fall 2024	19	26

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

4,088Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at University of Nebraska at Kearney fell from 5,366 (Fall 2002) to 4,088 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	5,366
Fall 2003	5,373
Fall 2004	5,380
Fall 2005	5,346
Fall 2006	5,230
Fall 2007	5,090
Fall 2008	4,911
Fall 2009	4,904
Fall 2010	4,881
Fall 2011	5,220
Fall 2012	5,384
Fall 2013	5,247
Fall 2014	5,081
Fall 2015	4,819
Fall 2016	4,672
Fall 2017	4,440
Fall 2018	4,328
Fall 2019	4,287
Fall 2020	4,302
Fall 2021	4,289
Fall 2022	4,159
Fall 2023	4,130
Fall 2024	4,088

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

80%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at University of Nebraska at Kearney has held near 80% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	81%
Fall 2003 cohort	82%
Fall 2004 cohort	84%
Fall 2005 cohort	80%
Fall 2006 cohort	79%
Fall 2007 cohort	79%
Fall 2008 cohort	83%
Fall 2009 cohort	82%
Fall 2010 cohort	77%
Fall 2011 cohort	79%
Fall 2012 cohort	76%
Fall 2013 cohort	80%
Fall 2014 cohort	80%
Fall 2015 cohort	84%
Fall 2016 cohort	79%
Fall 2017 cohort	80%
Fall 2018 cohort	77%
Fall 2019 cohort	81%
Fall 2020 cohort	76%
Fall 2021 cohort	74%
Fall 2022 cohort	77%
Fall 2023 cohort	80%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about University of Nebraska at Kearney

36.9% of University of Nebraska at Kearney's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes University of Nebraska at Kearney as a primarily residential campus of 4,088 undergraduates — and 80% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

University of Nebraska at Kearney's SAT section-percentile sums are 905–1125 — their midpoint is below the NE four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on University of Nebraska at Kearney's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How University of Nebraska at Kearney compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

University of Nebraska at Kearney89.5%

Nebraska median79.8%

National median76.8%

Tuition (in-state)

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

University of Nebraska at Kearney$8,676

Nebraska median$20,640

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

University of Nebraska at Kearney's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

University of Nebraska at Kearney$50,105

Nebraska median$53,909

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

University of Nebraska at Kearney, Nebraska and national reference values
Metric & basis	University of Nebraska at Kearney	Nebraska median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	89.5%	79.8%	76.8%
Tuition (in-state)Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$8,676	$20,640	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$50,105	$53,909	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For University of Nebraska at Kearney, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

University of Nebraska at Kearney federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 20 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	$77,034
Biology, General	$67,151
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$64,684
Computer and Information Sciences, General	$61,988
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	$61,941
Agricultural Business and Management	$61,438
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$55,356
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies	$54,563
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	$53,348
Social Work	$53,203
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$52,669
Journalism	$51,659
Psychology, General	$50,360
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies	$49,584
Fine and Studio Arts	$49,521
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$47,600
History	$47,590
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$44,687
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$41,922
English Language and Literature, General	$41,180

These 20 fields listed for University of Nebraska at Kearney measure earnings after completion. The $50,105 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 19 additional University of Nebraska at Kearney fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does University of Nebraska at Kearney report?

University of Nebraska at Kearney's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 905–1125 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is University of Nebraska at Kearney's acceptance rate?

89.5% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 4,728 admitted from 5,283 applicants.

How much does University of Nebraska at Kearney cost?

In-state tuition is $8,676; out-of-state students pay $15,284. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.

What earnings data does University of Nebraska at Kearney report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $50,105. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Nebraska

University of Nebraska at Omaha — 87% admitted
Doane University — 98% admitted
Concordia University-Nebraska — 85.7% admitted
University of Nebraska-Lincoln — 87.5% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.