There are 40 colleges in Nebraska - 16 public and 24 private schools. At Nebraska colleges, the Cost of Attendance (COA), which includes tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies, housing, meals, and personal expenses, has consistently increased over the last decade, driving up the overall cost of college.
Nebraska Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Nebraska colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 26.54%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 35.83%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $34,597 when living on campus and $37,223 when living off campus.
Nebraska Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
7.18% (from $8,905 to $9,544) |
$9,544 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
17.02% (from $14,944 to $17,488) |
$17,488 |
| Private Colleges |
39.01% (from $20,151 to $28,011) |
$28,011 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 17.02%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 20.46% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Nebraska colleges, living costs increased by 43.90% for on-campus and 66.63% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $15,948 (on-campus) and $18,574 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-11.64%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,161.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 26.54% when living on campus and 35.83% when living off campus at Nebraska Colleges.
In private Nebraska Colleges, the COA has increase by 38.63% (on-campus) and 46.41% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $34,597 when a student lives on campus and $37,223 when living off campus at Nebraska Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Nebraska Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Nebraska Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$21,302 | $27,341 | $32,548 | $21,366 | $27,405 | $32,612 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$21,692
1.83% | $27,879
1.97% | $33,734
3.64% | $21,869
2.35% | $28,056
2.38% | $33,911
3.98% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$22,506
3.75% | $28,955
3.86% | $34,509
2.30% | $22,468
2.74% | $28,917
3.07% | $34,471
1.65% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$22,927
1.87% | $29,511
1.92% | $35,638
3.27% | $23,021
2.46% | $29,605
2.38% | $35,732
3.66% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$21,970
-4.17% | $30,689
3.99% | $37,138
4.21% | $22,533
-2.12% | $31,252
5.56% | $37,701
5.51% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$22,234
1.20% | $31,216
1.72% | $38,877
4.68% | $23,320
3.49% | $32,302
3.36% | $39,963
6.00% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$23,085
3.83% | $31,273
0.18% | $40,274
3.59% | $24,247
3.98% | $32,435
0.41% | $41,436
3.69% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$27,715
20.06% | $35,030
12.01% | $41,570
3.22% | $28,831
18.91% | $36,146
11.44% | $42,686
3.02% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$28,464
2.70% | $35,963
2.66% | $41,922
0.85% | $30,012
4.10% | $37,511
3.78% | $43,470
1.84% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$26,653
-6.36% | $34,597
-3.80% | $45,120
7.63% | $29,279
-2.44% | $37,223
-0.77% | $47,746
9.84% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Nebraska Colleges is $12,234 for Nebraska residents and $20,178 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $29,203.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $10,761 for Nebraska residents and $17,644 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $17,633.
The tuition & fees has increased 17.02% for undergraduate programs and 20.46% for graduate programs at Nebraska Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Nebraska Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$8,905 | $14,944 | $20,151 | $7,431 | $12,861 | $13,389 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$9,114
2.35% | $15,301
2.39% | $21,156
4.99% | $7,650
2.95% | $13,241
2.95% | $13,447
0.43% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$9,537
4.64% | $15,986
4.48% | $21,540
1.82% | $8,236
7.66% | $14,296
7.97% | $13,660
1.58% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$9,529
-0.08% | $16,113
0.79% | $22,240
3.25% | $8,187
-0.59% | $13,872
-2.97% | $12,896
-5.59% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,364
-12.23% | $17,083
6.02% | $23,532
5.81% | $7,494
-8.46% | $14,968
7.90% | $13,744
6.58% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,561
2.36% | $17,543
2.69% | $25,204
7.11% | $7,694
2.67% | $15,321
2.36% | $14,173
3.12% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,573
0.14% | $16,761
-4.46% | $25,762
2.21% | $7,820
1.64% | $15,514
1.26% | $14,644
3.32% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$12,713
48.29% | $20,028
19.49% | $26,568
3.13% | $7,423
-5.08% | $13,674
-11.86% | $14,977
2.27% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$12,910
1.55% | $20,409
1.90% | $26,368
-0.75% | $7,637
2.88% | $15,952
16.66% | $15,360
2.56% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$9,544
-26.07% | $17,488
-14.31% | $28,011
6.23% | $8,610
12.74% | $15,493
-2.88% | $16,463
7.18% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,161 for Nebraska Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Nebraska Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,314 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,254
-4.57% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,252
-0.16% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,268
1.28% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,202
-5.21% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,175
-2.25% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,024
-12.85% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $997
-2.64% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,011
1.40% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,161
14.84% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Nebraska Colleges, the living have increased 25.94% when a student lives on campus facilities and 31.25% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Nebraska Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,083 | $11,050 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $11,324
3.29% | $11,348
3.96% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $11,717
3.43% | $11,593
2.56% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $12,130
4.05% | $12,173
3.60% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $12,404
2.91% | $12,387
8.96% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $12,498
1.86% | $12,746
4.46% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $13,488
2.64% | $14,007
0.45% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $14,005
3.44% | $14,431
3.69% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $14,543
6.65% | $15,257
7.59% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $15,948
7.68% | $17,340
10.70% |
|---|