Nursing in Nebraska
Nebraska has 19 nursing schools running 28 board-approved programs. Registered nurses here earn a median of $84,730; nurse practitioners, $132,130. Nebraska is a compact state, so a license here can be a multistate license. Every figure below names its source and the period it covers.
Nursing Schools in Nebraska
0 of Nebraska’s 28 programs have a published 2025 first-time pass rate.
| Degree | Programs | Median pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Associate (ADN) | 7 | — |
| Bachelor’s (BSN) | 11 | — |
Both degrees lead to the same RN license. ADN vs BSN, compared nationally →
What Nurses Earn in Nebraska
Federal wage survey data (BLS OEWS, May 2025) — employer-reported, not job-board estimates. The RN median in Nebraska is $12,820 below the $97,550 national median; the NP median is $170 below the $132,300 national NP median.
| Nebraska | Registered nurse | Nurse practitioner |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $84,730 | $132,130 |
| Median hourly | $40.74 | $63.52 |
| Starting range (10th pct.) | $66,020 | $103,820 |
| Top earners (90th pct.) | $106,190 | $161,990 |
| Employed in state | 24,720 | 2,340 |
Licensing in Nebraska
Nebraska is a Nurse Licensure Compact state (implemented January 19, 2018). A nurse whose primary residence is Nebraska can hold one multistate license and practice in every other compact state without applying for another license.
Either way the license starts the same: graduate from a board-approved program and pass the NCLEX. Fees, processing times, and continuing-education rules are set by the Nebraska board of nursing and change — confirm them with the board directly. The board documents these pass rates came from: Updated: 2/2026 (printed on roster). No program-level NCLEX pass rates published by NE DHHS/BON; BON minutes report only statewide quarterly aggregates (e.g., Q3 2025: RN 89.13%, PN 92.22%).
Sources
- First-time NCLEX pass rates by programEach state board of nursing — the exact board documents are linked on every state page · Data: 2025 first-time test takers · Checked
- Program cost, completion, and graduate earningsU.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Checked
- Registered nurse wages and employment (SOC 29-1141)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- Nurse practitioner wages and employment (SOC 29-1171)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- Nurse Licensure Compact member states and implementation datesNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) · Checked
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nursing schools are in Nebraska?
Nebraska has 19 nursing schools running 28 board-approved programs — 18 RN programs and 10 practical nursing programs (state board of nursing list, 2025 pass-rate year).
How much do nurses make in Nebraska?
Registered nurses in Nebraska earn a median of $84,730 a year ($40.74 an hour), $12,820 below the national RN median. Nurse practitioners earn a median of $132,130 (BLS, May 2025).
Is Nebraska a compact nursing state?
Nebraska is a Nurse Licensure Compact state (implemented January 19, 2018). A nurse whose primary residence is Nebraska can hold one multistate license and practice in every other compact state without applying for another license. Source: NCSBN compact map, checked September 17, 2026.
Nursing in other states
Keep going
- Degree pathwayADN vs BSNBoth degrees lead to the same RN license. Here is how associate and bachelor’s programs actually compare on NCLEX pass rates, graduate debt, and earnings.
- GuideADN vs BSN: Which Nursing Program Should You Choose?Compare ADN and prelicensure BSN pathways by time, total cost, admission, clinical logistics, employer expectations, and bridge options—not prestige alone.
- FinderCheapest RN programs in the U.S.The lowest-cost RN programs nationally, with their NCLEX pass rates alongside.
- FinderCompare nursing schoolsPut any nursing programs side by side on pass rate, cost, and outcomes.
- GuideHow Competitive Is Nursing School Admission?Estimate nursing-school competitiveness using seats, qualified applicants, point rubrics, recent cutoffs, attrition, and the parts of your application you can still change.
- Degree pathwayLPN to RNThe pay difference between a practical nurse and a registered nurse, and how practical-nursing and RN programs compare on pass rates, debt, and graduate earnings.