University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE · Public · Large city · Carnegie R1/R2 · UNL
Public institution in Lincoln, NE · 18,887 undergraduates · 77% acceptance rate · $56,887 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 6%Undergraduates
- Top 25%Full-time retention
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $17,424855th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $10,108608th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $27,7481,165th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $25,341710th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $21,000757th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $56,887698th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $47,692681st highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 65.8%563rd highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 84.3%466th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 77.1%817th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1191415th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 25346th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 18,887127th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 16.0:11,471st smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 22.2%1,605th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 332 mi (MSP)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $45
- Personal essay
- Optional / not required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 103 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $74,786 | $71,015 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusiness | bachelors | $68,666 | $64,493 |
| Chemical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $68,499 | $66,821 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $67,660 | $68,918 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $65,651 | $66,168 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,328 | $70,680 |
| Construction Engineering TechnologiesEngineering Technology | bachelors | $63,253 | $60,523 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $57,657 | $57,564 |
| Agricultural MechanizationAgriculture | bachelors | $52,941 | $55,286 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $52,274 | $46,924 |
| Business/Managerial EconomicsBusiness | bachelors | $50,856 | $39,369 |
| Biological/Biosystems EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $49,683 | $45,864 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1869source
- Motto: "Literis Dedicata et Omnibus Artibus"source
- Athletic nickname: "Cornhuskers"source
- Mascot: Herbie Huskersource
- Memorial Stadium seats about 87,091source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- Campus size: about 856 acressource
- Formerly known as "University of Nebraska" (1869–1968)source
- Athletic conference: FBSsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A space-grant]]}} institutionsource
- Fight song: ""[[Hail Varsity]]", "The Cornhusker","source
- Notable alum: Warren Buffettsource
- Notable alum: Willa Cathersource
- Notable alum: George Wells Beadlesource
- Notable alum: John J. Pershingsource
- Notable alum: Alan J. Heegersource
Athletics — 15 sports + curated flag football
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $12,695,377 (M $7,103,791 · W $5,591,586)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Bowling
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Rifle
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Flag Football (women’s, curated)
- Bowling: 2021, 2015, 2013, 2009
- Volleyball: 2017, 2015
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Women’s flag football is curated (not yet a stable EADA sport filter).
Key links
- Official websiteunl.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 181464)
- Compare colleges in NERe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in NebraskaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: University of Nebraska-Lincoln vs University of Nebraska at OmahaHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 15 EADA programs at this school
- Women’s flag football rosterCurated national programs (not yet in EADA filters)
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.