Best Engineering Schools Near Columbus, NE (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs. Columbus has a population of about 24,188. Median household income is $67,212 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Nebraska, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $141,020 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Engineering Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near Columbus, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbus city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbus. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Northeast Community College

Norfolk, NE 42.4 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,634
Avg net price $8,544/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE 54.7 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,887
Avg net price $17,747/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 155

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Southeast Community College Area

Lincoln, NE 58.1 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,405
Avg net price $9,171/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Wayne State College

Wayne, NE 58.4 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,075
Avg net price $15,360/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Doane University

Crete, NE 60.0 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,316
Avg net price $26,364/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Central Community College

Grand Island, NE 65.0 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,429
Avg net price $7,024/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Metropolitan Community College Area

Omaha, NE 73.0 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,773
Avg net price $4,982/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Western Nebraska Community College

Scottsbluff, NE 325.9 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,729
Avg net price $5,474/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Nebraska schools on the Nebraska engineering page.

Engineering Wages Near Columbus

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Civil Engineer $103,150
Electrical Engineer $107,260
Mechanical Engineer $88,060
Chemical Engineer $98,310
Aerospace Engineer $135,670
Biomedical Engineer $83,890
Environmental Engineer $120,620
Architectural and Engineering Manager $141,020

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Columbus at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,188 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,212 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Platte County 70 workers, 7 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Columbus, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Columbus. The closest is Northeast Community College in Norfolk, NE (42.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Doane University (60.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles in Nebraska are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($141,020), Aerospace Engineer ($135,670), Environmental Engineer ($120,620). Wages for Columbus workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Norfolk instead of Columbus?

Norfolk, NE is 41.5 miles from Columbus and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbus an affordable place to study engineering?

Columbus’s median household income of $67,212 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Engineering Schools in Nebraska: Online Programs (2026)