Nebraska Nursing Schools And Programs

Nebraska needs nurses, especially in rural counties where some areas have no registered nurse at all. This guide covers the state's nursing programs, what nurses earn here, and the licensing steps to practice.

Nursing Schools in Nebraska

Look at three numbers when you compare programs: NCLEX pass rate, accreditation, and total cost. Pass rate tells you how well a program prepares students for the licensing exam. Accreditation matters because most employers and graduate schools only accept graduates of accredited programs. Cost varies widely, and public colleges almost always run cheaper than private ones.

Nebraska Wesleyan University (Lincoln), a Methodist-affiliated school founded in 1887, offers a traditional four-year BSN, an accelerated BSN for working nurses with an RN license, and a 30-credit RN-to-BSN. The RN-to-BSN runs online, hybrid, and inperson classes that meet once a week in eight-week sessions.

• Program: RN-to-BSN
• Campus: Lincoln, NE
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Tuition: $445 per credit
• Admission Requirements: Associate degree in nursing or nursing diploma; minimum 2.5 GPA; current Nebraska, Iowa, or Compact State RN license
• Minimum Time Commitment: 12 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 61.9% first-time
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $67,395 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Creighton University (Omaha) is a Catholic, Jesuit institution running more than 140 academic programs. Its flexible online doctor of nursing practice offers full- and parttime options with limited onsite requirements.

• Program: Doctor of nursing practice
• Campus: Omaha, NE
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Tuition: $955 per credit hour
• Admission Requirements: Bachelor of science in nursing; official transcripts; minimum 3.0 GPA; valid RN license; three letters of recommendation; resume; personal statement
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93.8% first-time
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $59,626 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

College of Saint Mary (Omaha) is a Catholic women's university founded by the Sisters of Mercy. Its 42-credit practical nursing certificate takes one year and prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN. CSM also offers a three-year BSN.

• Program: Practical nursing certificate
• Campus: Omaha, NE
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Nebraska State Board of Nursing; Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $337 per credit
• Admission Requirements: High school graduate or equivalent; official transcripts; minimum 2.0 GPA; valid CNA license and completion of CPR course
• Minimum Time Commitment: 12 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 82.1% first-time
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $63,692 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Northeast Community College (Norfolk), founded in 1973, serves northeast and northcentral Nebraska. Its 72-credit, two-year ADN prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN. Students who finish the first two semesters receive a practical nursing diploma and may sit for the NCLEX-PN.

• Program: Associate degree in nursing
• Campus: Norfolk, NE
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $108 per credit for Nebraska residents; $151 out-of-state
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; nursing application and entrance exams; minimum 2.7 GPA in prerequisites; completion of a nurse aide course and inclusion in the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $52,524 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Bryan College of Health Sciences (Lincoln), partnered with Bryan Medical Center, awards associate through doctoral degrees. It is the only Nebraska nursing program that guarantees a job at acceptance: students get an employment offer their junior year at a Bryan Health facility, plus a $5,250 senior-year scholarship that carries a one-year work commitment.

• Program: Bachelor of science in nursing
• Campus: Lincoln, NE
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $597 per credit
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; minimum 2.75 GPA
• Minimum Time Commitment: Four years
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 94.9% first-time
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $59,626 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Mid-Plains Community College (North Platte) serves an 18-county area in west central Nebraska. Its 66-credit ADN includes a concept synthesis course that prepares students for the NCLEX-RN and the HESI comprehensive exam.

• Program: Associate degree in nursing
• Campus: North Platte, NE
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $112 per credit for Nebraska residents; $130 out-of-state
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; general education requirements; ACT or Accuplacer scores; two reference letters; active status on the Nebraska Nursing Assistant Registry
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $51,482 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Central Community College (Grand Island) serves central Nebraska. Its ADN awards a practical nurse diploma after the first two semesters; students who finish all four semesters earn the associate degree and may sit for the NCLEX-RN.

• Program: Associate degree in nursing
• Campus: Grand Island, NE
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $92 per credit for Nebraska residents; $138 out-of-state
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; minimum 58.7% ATI TEAS score; active status on the Nebraska Nursing Assistant Registry; CPR certification
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $54,574 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Metropolitan Community College (Omaha), founded in 1974, offers an associate of science in nursing requiring 103.5 quarter credits. Students who complete the practical nurse curriculum in the first year can finish the associate degree in the second year and sit for the NCLEX-RN.

• Program: Associate of science in nursing
• Campus: Omaha, NE
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $68 per credit for Nebraska residents; $102 out-of-state
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; MCC general education requirements
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 85.8% first-time
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $56,087 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Southeast Community College (Lincoln) runs campuses in Lincoln, Beatrice, and Milford. Its 65-credit associate of applied science in nursing prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN, and LPNs can use the LPN-to-RN option to earn the associate degree in about one year.

• Program: Associate of applied science in nursing
• Campus: Lincoln, NE
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $102 per credit for Nebraska residents; $123 out-of-state
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; SCC general education requirements with a minimum 2.75 GPA; HESI assessment
• Minimum Time Commitment: Four semesters
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $56,333 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Western Nebraska Community College (Scottsbluff) runs campuses in Scottsbluff, Sidney, and Alliance. Its 72-credit associate of nursing pairs classroom work with clinical rotations scheduled days, evenings, and some weekends.

• Program: Associate degree in nursing
• Campus: Scottsbluff, NE
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $107 per credit for Nebraska residents; $111 out-of-state
• Admission Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; official transcripts; WNCC general education requirements; minimum 3.0 GPA; ATI TEAS scores; active status on the Nebraska Nursing Assistant Registry
• Minimum Time Commitment: Four semesters
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $53,775 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Choosing a Program in Nebraska

Public colleges in Nebraska can join the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, which gives reduced tuition to students from participating states, including Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Beyond cost, weigh NCLEX pass rate, accreditation, and the schedule flexibility you need. Many Nebraska programs offer online, parttime, and weekend courses built around working nurses.

Why Nurse in Nebraska

Tuition runs below the national average here. Four-year in-state students nationally pay around $10,560 a year (College Board), while Nebraska nursing students generally pay under $10,000 for in-state tuition. The state also reports high job satisfaction: in a 2021 survey, 59.5% of RNs and 57.7% of LPNs said they were very satisfied with their jobs.

As a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state, Nebraska lets nurses holding a multistate license from another participating state work here without an additional license. As a right-to-work state, Nebraska nurses cannot be required to join a union or pay dues.

Salaries and Job Outlook

Nebraska RNs earn an average of about $81,460 a year, below the national median of $93,600 (BLS, May 2024). Nurse practitioners average roughly $126,000, just under the national NP median of about $129,000. Nebraska's lower cost of living (index 93.6 against a national 100) stretches those wages further. Pay runs highest in Omaha and Lincoln, with rural counties showing the greatest need. Demand for nurse practitioners is growing fastest among nursing roles, with national APRN employment projected to climb about 35% from 2024 to 2034 (BLS).

The state has documented real shortages, especially outside the metros. A 2020 estimate put Nebraska short roughly 4,191 RNs, APRNs, and LPNs, and some rural counties have no RNs at all.

Becoming a Nurse in Nebraska

Nebraska RNs must complete a state-approved ADN or BSN and pass the NCLEX-RN. After passing, you apply for licensure through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Nurses holding a multistate NLC license can work in Nebraska without additional credentials; nurses from non-compact states must have graduated from an accredited program, passed the NCLEX, and hold a valid license.

RN Requirements

Complete a two-year ADN or four-year BSN from an accredited program, then pass the NCLEX-RN, which graduates can take no earlier than 35 days after finishing. You can apply for licensure through DHHS up to 90 days before graduating if you have registered for the exam. The application requires a fee, proof of citizenship, a photo, a criminal background check, and transcripts. An RN license runs $30 to $123 depending on whether it expires in an odd or even year. The background check costs $45 and requires fingerprints.

APRN Requirements

APRNs hold an RN license plus a master's or doctoral degree in a specialty such as nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse practitioner. Each specialty uses a separate DHHS application. Candidates pay a fee of $25 to $68 and submit proof of citizenship or legal residency, a criminal background check, transcripts, an ID, RN license, and proof of a national certification exam.

DHHS processes applications in the order received, and applicants typically wait about 8 to 10 weeks, which includes background-check time. Once DHHS publishes a license to its online License Lookup, the nurse receives the physical license by mail.