Best Nursing Schools Near Lincoln, NE (2026)

Lincoln, Nebraska has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $20,640 to $32,845 per year for indexed programs. Lincoln has a population of about 291,932. Median household income is $69,991 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lincoln, NE metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $216,030 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Lincoln

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Lincoln, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lincoln 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 Lincoln. 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

Bryan College of Health Sciences

Lincoln, NE 1.8 miles from Lincoln
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 67%
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,845
Avg net price $26,919/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,640
Out‑of‑state$20,640
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, NE 2.6 miles from Lincoln
  • 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

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#3

Union Adventist University

Lincoln, NE 2.9 miles from Lincoln
  • 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

#4

Southeast Community College Area

Lincoln, NE 4.1 miles from Lincoln
  • 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

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


Nursing Wages Near Lincoln

Lincoln is part of the Lincoln, NE metro area (BLS area code 30700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Nebraska statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse $87,530 Lincoln, NE $95,557
Licensed Practical Nurse $63,070 Lincoln, NE $68,854
Nurse Anesthetist $216,030 Lincoln, NE $235,841
Nurse Midwife $138,880 NE statewide $151,616
Nurse Practitioner $124,440 Lincoln, NE $135,852
Nursing Assistant $38,650 Lincoln, NE $42,194

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.


Lincoln at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 291,932 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $69,991 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 41.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Lancaster County 10,644 workers, 102 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Lincoln-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Lincoln, NE?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Lincoln. The closest is Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln, NE (1.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Midland University (44.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Lincoln?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Lincoln are: Nurse Anesthetist ($216,030), Nurse Midwife ($138,880), Nurse Practitioner ($124,440). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Nebraska statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fremont instead of Lincoln?

Fremont, NE is 44.8 miles from Lincoln and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Lincoln an affordable place to study nursing?

Lincoln’s median household income of $69,991 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lincoln 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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Lincoln

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

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.