Best History Schools Near Columbus, NE (2026)

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

Columbus, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering history 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 history-related role is Historians at a median $70,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest History Schools to Columbus

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

Sort:
#1

Concordia University-Nebraska

Seward, NE 38.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,415
Avg net price $23,965/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 51

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

Sponsored Ad
#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

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, NE 55.3 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,405
Avg net price $18,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

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

#6

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

Sponsored Ad
#7

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

#8

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE 71.0 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.5 BOC Score
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: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

History Wages Near Columbus

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Historians $70,050
Archivists N/A
Curators $58,600
Museum Technicians and Conservators $41,960
History Teachers, Postsecondary $57,150
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,450
Writers and Authors $65,470
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists $64,060

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 History Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited history schools are near Columbus, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering history programs near Columbus. The closest is Concordia University-Nebraska in Seward, NE (38.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wayne State College (58.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying history roles in Nebraska?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying history-related roles in Nebraska are: Historians ($70,050), Writers and Authors ($65,470), Librarians and Media Collections Specialists ($64,060). 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 history 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 history?

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 History 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.

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