Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsPrivate nonprofit

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, Nebraska·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Plains·nebrwesleyan.edu
6-yr Graduation
66%
+6.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Total enrollment
1,654
peer median 1,904
Avg net price
$23,140
-$545 vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
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Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
2,725
2,725 candidates competed
Admitted
2,175
79.8% acceptance rate
Enrolled
352
16.2% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
66%+6.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
4-year graduation
58%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
66%
Full-time retention
75%

Pell equity

14.0pp gap
Pell recipients
54%
Non-Pell
68%

Non-Pell students graduate at a 14.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 52 Title IV programs, 11 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 41 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
52
Passing
11
21.2% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

52programs
  • Passing11 · 21.2%
  • No Data41 · 78.8%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
11
No data
41

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

11
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+25.9%
$45,420 vs $36,082
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+35.2%
$48,785 vs $36,082
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
+39.5%
$50,320 vs $36,082
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+51.2%
$54,566 vs $36,082
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+60.6%
$57,937 vs $36,082
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+62.9%
$58,770 vs $36,082
Business/Commerce General
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+69.6%
$91,021 vs $53,672
Business/Commerce General
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+94.8%
$70,281 vs $36,082

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

10
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
59%
$27,000 debt · $45,420 earn
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
54%
$27,000 debt · $50,320 earn
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
50%
$27,000 debt · $54,566 earn
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
49%
$23,654 debt · $48,785 earn
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
46%
$26,741 debt · $57,937 earn
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
46%
$27,000 debt · $58,770 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
36%
$39,926 debt · $112,139 earn
Business/Commerce General
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
32%
$22,675 debt · $70,281 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1914Next review Aug 2030

Programmatic accreditations · 6

Action history · 7

  1. Sep 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  2. Sep 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  3. Sep 2020Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  4. Sep 2020Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  5. May 2020Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$20,377
$30–48k$18,737
$48–75k$19,482
$75–110k$24,859
$110k+$27,670

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$23,140
-$544vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs median $23,685
Federal loans
55.6%
In-state tuition
$41,658
Out-of-state
$41,658

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 602 students received $3.6M in Pell grants, alongside $8.2M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
602
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$3.6M
$3,631,631 total
Direct Loans
$8.2M
1,476 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
20
1k
21
0k
22
1k
23
1k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.4M
565 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$2.5M
677 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$967K
76 loan awards
Parent PLUS$2.3M
158 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 568 borrowers who entered repayment, 7 (1.2%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.2%
-1.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
568
Defaulted
7
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
4.6%
2017
3.8%
2018
2.5%
2019
1.2%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Nebraska Wesleyan

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs63
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

372 total completions
01Parks/Recreation
6116.4%
02Business
6016.1%
03Biological Sciences
4612.4%
04Health Professions
4311.6%
05Psychology
3910.5%
06Education
369.7%
07Public Admin
349.1%
08Visual/Performing Arts
256.7%
09Social Sciences
154.0%
10English Language
133.5%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
1,654
12-mo unduplicated
4,462
Undergraduate
4,241
Graduate
221

Gender split

Men
41%1,830
Women
59%2,632

Race / ethnicity composition

White
74.2%
Hispanic
10.8%
Two or more
4.2%
Black
4.1%
Non-resident
2.5%
Asian
2.3%
Unknown
1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
538
380 M · 158 W
Women athletes
29.4%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$3.0M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$30K
$18K
Head-coach salaries
$49K
$42K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
132 M · 89 W
$353K
Football
134 M ·
$387K
Soccer
34 M · 20 W
$219K
Basketball
31 M · 18 W
$354K
Baseball
49 M ·
$153K
Wrestling
44 M ·
$142K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
4.15
7 offenses · 1,688 students

3-year trend

5.202 yrs ago11.011 yr ago4.15Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
37
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
27
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
4
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Aggravated assault
3
Fondling
2
Rape
1
Motor vehicle theft
1

By location

7total
  • On campus7

Includes 5 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
3
Dating violence
7
Stalking
10 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs00
Liquor049

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
12.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
96

Nebraska Wesleyan vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Nebraska Wesleyan selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectNebraska Wesleyan University
66%1,654$23,140Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Midland University
42%66.1%1,558$24,229Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies
0%87.5%3,802$14,774Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
University of Northwestern-St Paul
68%93.5%3,234$25,140Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Dordt University
74%68.5%1,952$25,383Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Grand View University
54%99.1%1,856$21,616Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Peer group median60%87.5%1,904$23,685

Frequently asked questions about Nebraska Wesleyan University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Nebraska Wesleyan.

What is the graduation rate at Nebraska Wesleyan University?

Nebraska Wesleyan University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 66% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Nebraska Wesleyan University?

Nebraska Wesleyan University reports a total enrollment of 1,654 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Nebraska Wesleyan University?

The average net price at Nebraska Wesleyan University is $23,140 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Nebraska Wesleyan University?

Nebraska Wesleyan University's yield rate is 16.2%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Nebraska Wesleyan University located?

Nebraska Wesleyan University is located in Lincoln, Nebraska 68504-2794.

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