Dr. Miguel A. Cardona Secretary of Education | Official website
Dr. Miguel A. Cardona Secretary of Education | Official website
Data shows that students paid $12,425 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $87 more than the previous school year.
Among the nine institutions in the county, Nebraska Wesleyan University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $39,868. Union Adventist University followed with an average of $27,170 per year. Southeast Community College Area students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $2,839.
At the time, a total of $57.2 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Lancaster County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $18.6 million.
Currently there are nine higher education institutions in Lancaster County, including Southeast Community College Area, Union Adventist University, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Community College Area | 777 | $3,409,182 | $4,388 | 821 | $1,468,246 | $1,788 |
| Bryan College of Health Sciences | 46 | $317,003 | $6,891 | 48 | $700,859 | $14,601 |
| Myotherapy Institute | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 4,306 | $41,137,783 | $9,554 | 1,899 | $13,630,278 | $7,178 |
| Entourage Institute of Beauty and Esthetics | 7 | $49,818 | $7,117 | 6 | $31,670 | $5,278 |
| College of Hair Design-Downtown | 25 | $142,195 | $5,688 | 33 | $218,337 | $6,616 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University | 358 | $10,281,564 | $28,719 | 206 | $1,733,903 | $8,417 |
| College of Hair Design-East Campus | 72 | $344,951 | $4,791 | 84 | $458,881 | $5,463 |
| Union Adventist University | 90 | $1,532,324 | $17,026 | 73 | $323,528 | $4,432 |
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