Best General Studies Schools Near Columbus, NE (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering general studies 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 general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $85,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies 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

York University

York, NE 40.8 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,130
Avg net price $20,951/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Midland University

Fremont, NE 45.0 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,163
Avg net price $26,267/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

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

#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

Union Adventist University

Lincoln, NE 58.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
43.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,045
Avg net price $23,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

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

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#7

Nebraska Indian Community College

Macy, NE 69.9 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
19.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,458
Avg net price $23,334/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, NE 70.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,338
Avg net price $16,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

General Studies Wages Near Columbus

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
General and Operations Managers $85,090
Management Analysts $75,360
Human Resources Specialists $61,930
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $60,000
Writers and Authors $65,470
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,450
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $61,980
Social and Community Service Managers $73,790

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)

Other Columbus-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Columbus, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Columbus. The closest is York University in York, NE (40.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southeast Community College Area (58.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles in Nebraska are: General and Operations Managers ($85,090), Management Analysts ($75,360), Social and Community Service Managers ($73,790). 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 general studies 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 general studies?

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 General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

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