Nebraska's higher education is split among several distinct systems, and knowing which one a campus belongs to tells you who sets tuition, who hears complaints, and how credits move between schools. This page lists 66 college and training-school entries across the state, from large institutions in Omaha and Lincoln to small campuses in Curtis, Macy, and Winnebago. Read the notes below to match the right kind of school to your goal before you pick up the phone.

How Colleges in Nebraska Are Governed and Who Oversees Them

No single office runs higher education here. Authority is divided among four tracks, and each has its own governing board, admission rules, and complaint process.

Above these boards sits the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, created under the state constitution. It reviews new academic programs at public institutions, authorizes certain private and out-of-state degree-granting schools to operate, and administers state aid such as the Nebraska Opportunity Grant. If you doubt that a school is legitimately authorized, this is the agency to ask.

Trade and career schools follow a different path. Private career schools, a category that can include hair design and esthetics programs, are generally authorized by the Nebraska Department of Education. Graduates who want to work in a licensed field then apply for a state license separately. Ask the school which licensing body applies to your program and how many training hours it requires.

Accreditation matters as much as state authorization. Most degree-granting schools in Nebraska are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which covers the Midwest. Accreditation affects whether credits transfer and whether you qualify for federal student aid, so get the accrediting body's name in writing before you pay a deposit.

Omaha, Lincoln, and Bellevue: Where Nebraska's Metro Campuses Cluster

Douglas County and Lancaster County together account for more than half of the entries in our database, which matches where most Nebraskans live. In Omaha, Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics at 10803 John Galt Boulevard (402-333-3329) represents the career-training side of the Douglas County market. In Lincoln, Bryan College of Health Sciences at 5035 Everett Street (402-481-3801) offers focused health education.

Metro students have more choices and more paperwork. Omaha and Lincoln each have a public university and a community college, along with several private colleges, so compare programs rather than just locations. Metro Transit in Omaha and StarTran in Lincoln run bus service, but evening class times may not match route hours, so check timetables before you enroll.

Sarpy County, just south of Omaha, has a different profile. Bellevue University at 1000 Galvin Road South (402-291-8100) is built around working adults and online study. National American University-Bellevue is listed at 3604 Summit Plaza Drive, and Nebraska Christian College of Hope International University is at 12550 South 114th Street in Papillion (402-935-9400). Offutt Air Force Base sits beside Bellevue, so schools in this corner of the state often serve military-connected students.

Before visiting a metro campus, gather a photo ID, prior transcripts, and recent tax information if you plan to apply for aid. Many admissions offices schedule tours by appointment, so call first. Confirm every listing before you drive there; one entry on this page carries a phone number with a non-Nebraska area code.

Rural and Western Nebraska: Chadron, Scottsbluff, Curtis, and the Platte Valley

Outside the metro corridor, one campus may serve several counties, and drive times matter. Chadron State College at 1000 Main Street (308-432-6000) anchors the northwest in Dawes County. In the Panhandle, Scotts Bluff County has Fullen School of Hair Design at 1909 Broadway in Scottsbluff (308-632-3731) and Summit Christian College at 2025 21st Street in Gering (308-632-6933).

Farther east, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at 404 East 7th Street in Curtis (308-367-5253) sits in Frontier County and specializes in agriculture and related programs. Mid-Plains Community College is at 1101 Halligan Drive in North Platte (800-658-4308). Central Community College is at 3134 U.S. 34 in Grand Island (308-398-4222), and the University of Nebraska at Kearney is at 905 West 25th Street (308-865-8441).

In the northeast and southeast, Northeast Community College operates from 801 East Benjamin Avenue in Norfolk (402-371-2020). Wayne State College is at 1111 Main Street in Wayne (402-375-7000), Peru State College at 600 Hoyt Street in Peru (402-872-3815), and the Southeast Community College Beatrice Campus at 4771 West Scott Road (402-228-3468). Hastings College (710 Turner Avenue, 402-463-2402) and York College (1125 East 8th Street, 402-363-5600) are private options in the central part of the state.

Rural travel takes planning. Winter storms can close highways, so check the state's Nebraska 511 road conditions service before a long drive. High school students in small towns can often earn college credit early through dual enrollment, and the Access College Early Scholarship program, run through the Coordinating Commission, can help eligible students pay for those courses. Ask your school counselor how it works in your district.

Tribal Colleges, Seminaries, and Specialty Schools Across Nebraska

Some of the most distinctive entries are small and mission-driven. Nebraska Indian Community College is headquartered at 1111 Hwy 75 in Macy, in Thurston County, with additional campuses in Niobrara (415 North River Road) and South Sioux City (2501 1/2 Dakota Avenue). All three share the phone number 402-494-2311. Little Priest Tribal College, at 601 E College Rd in Winnebago, is also in Thurston County (402-878-2380). Tribal colleges are chartered by tribal governments and generally welcome both tribal citizens and nearby residents.

Faith-based and specialty options include Saint Gregory the Great Seminary at 800 Fletcher Road in Seward (402-643-4052), a Catholic seminary. Summit Christian College in Gering and Nebraska Christian College in Papillion offer ministry-centered study. Doane University-Arts & Sciences at 1014 Boswell Avenue in Crete (402-826-2161) is a private liberal arts option, and La'James International College at 1660 North Grant Street in Fremont (402-721-6500) provides beauty and cosmetology training.

Specialty schools differ from degree colleges in practical ways. Programs are often measured in clock hours rather than semesters, tuition may be billed per program, and refund rules vary. Ask for a written enrollment agreement, the school's completion and licensing-exam pass rates, and its refund policy before signing.

Next Steps for Your Nebraska College Search

Pick two or three schools near you, call each one, and ask the same questions so the answers are easy to compare. Write down the name of everyone you speak with. Then visit in person, since a campus tour shows class sizes, labs, and student services that a website rarely captures. If cost is a concern, speak with the financial aid office before you apply, not after.

Public colleges and universities in Nebraska offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The Nebraska state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 24 cities across Nebraska. They are spread across 21 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Omaha, Lincoln, Scottsbluff, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in Nebraska should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in Nebraska applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many Nebraska institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across Nebraska to find the nearest location.

Choosing a College in Nebraska: Steps That Save Time

Start with what you want to earn. A certificate, an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, and a professional license each point to a different kind of school in Nebraska. A community college in your region is typically the lowest-cost entry point, while the state colleges at Chadron, Peru, and Wayne offer four-year degrees in smaller settings.

Financial aid is the next step. Most schools here ask for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and Nebraska residents may also qualify for the Nebraska Opportunity Grant, a need-based state award distributed through participating institutions. Each school sets its own priority dates, so ask the financial aid office instead of relying on a general deadline.

Geography also shapes the search. Students in Grand Island can reach Central Community College, those in Crete have Doane University, and Beatrice has a Southeast Community College campus. Kearney and Hastings are close enough that you can visit the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Hastings College in a single day, which makes side-by-side comparison easy.

Nebraska public high schools give the ACT to juniors, and many colleges accept those scores for admission or placement. If you tested in school, ask your counselor for your score report; some campuses may also use their own placement methods.

Transfer planning deserves attention. Many students start at a community college and finish at a four-year school, a route that can lower the cost of the first two years. Ask both schools for a written credit evaluation, and check whether a program has a formal articulation agreement with the college you hope to attend.

Use this checklist when you call a school on this page:

Finally, keep records. Save emails, enrollment agreements, and payment receipts from every school you contact. If a dispute arises, a paper trail makes it much easier for an oversight agency to help.

Nebraska College Questions, Answered

It depends on the type of school. The Board of Regents governs the University of Nebraska campuses, while a Board of Trustees governs Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State. Each of the six community college areas has its own elected board. The Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education reviews programs and authorizes certain private degree-granting institutions. Private career schools, including many hair design and esthetics programs, are generally authorized through the Nebraska Department of Education. If you have a complaint, start with the school's own process, then contact the agency that oversees that type of institution.

Nebraska has six community college areas: Central, Metropolitan, Mid-Plains, Northeast, Southeast, and Western Nebraska. Our listings include Central Community College in Grand Island, Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte, Northeast Community College in Norfolk, and Southeast Community College's Beatrice Campus. Each college serves a defined region through several campuses and learning centers, so the program you want may be taught in a different town than the one nearest you. Call the admissions office to confirm which campus offers your program and whether any classes are available online.

Yes, two tribal colleges appear in our listings. Nebraska Indian Community College has its main campus at 1111 Hwy 75 in Macy, with additional campuses in Niobrara and South Sioux City. The phone number for all three is 402-494-2311. Little Priest Tribal College is at 601 E College Rd in Winnebago and can be reached at 402-878-2380. Both institutions serve northeastern Nebraska. Ask each college about admission requirements, program lengths, and whether credits transfer to four-year schools, since transfer rules differ from one receiving college to another.

Bryan College of Health Sciences at 5035 Everett Street in Lincoln (402-481-3801) is one listing focused on health education, and it sits in Lancaster County alongside other Lincoln institutions. Health programs often have separate application deadlines and prerequisite courses such as anatomy and chemistry, and clinical placements are limited, so apply early. Ask about licensing exam pass rates and whether the program is approved by the relevant professional board. Community colleges and universities in Nebraska also offer health programs, so compare costs and clinical sites before choosing.

Our listings include Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics in Omaha (402-333-3329), Fullen School of Hair Design in Scottsbluff (308-632-3731), and La'James International College in Fremont (402-721-6500). Nebraska requires a state license to practice cosmetology, so ask each school how many training hours its program requires and how it prepares students for the licensing exam. Compare tuition, kit costs, and class schedules, since some schools offer day and evening options. Request a written enrollment agreement that spells out the refund policy before you sign.

Bellevue University at 1000 Galvin Road South (402-291-8100) is geared toward working adults and is in Sarpy County, just south of Omaha. National American University-Bellevue is also listed, at 3604 Summit Plaza Drive. Because Offutt Air Force Base is nearby, ask each admissions office about military tuition assistance, GI Bill benefits, and credit for military training. Many Nebraska schools offer evening or online classes, so ask for the schedule before you apply. Confirm that a campus is still operating at its listed address by calling first.