Best Online Finance Programs in Columbus, NE (2026)

Columbus, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering finance 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 finance-related role is Financial Manager at a median $140,360 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Finance Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer finance 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.

#1

Northeast Community College

Norfolk, NE 42.3 miles from Columbus BOC Score 71.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE 54.7 miles from Columbus BOC Score 69.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE 70.6 miles from Columbus BOC Score 56.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,909
Avg net price $13,441/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Creighton University

Omaha, NE 74.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score 73.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,911
Avg net price $31,568/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Metropolitan Community College Area

Omaha, NE 74.5 miles from Columbus BOC Score 46.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Bellevue University

Bellevue, NE 77.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score 50.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,289
Avg net price $17,550/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,903
Out‑of‑state$9,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Hastings College

Hastings, NE 78.9 miles from Columbus BOC Score 33.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,303
Avg net price $24,452/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Finance Wages Near Columbus

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Personal Financial Advisor$93,280
Financial and Investment Analyst$85,320
Loan Officer$79,840
Financial Manager$140,360

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

MetricValueSource
Population24,188Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$67,212Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Finance Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited finance schools are near Columbus, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering finance programs near Columbus. The closest is Northeast Community College in Norfolk, NE (42.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Metropolitan Community College Area (74.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying finance roles in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying finance-related roles in Nebraska are: Financial Manager ($140,360), Personal Financial Advisor ($93,280), Financial and Investment Analyst ($85,320). 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 finance 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 finance?

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 Finance Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

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

Data verified: July 30, 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.