Best Online Colleges in Nebraska

Benefits of Studying Online in Nebraska

With more than 1.9 million citizens, Nebraska is the 37th largest state in terms of population, but the 16th largest from the standpoint of area; covering 77,348 square miles. The state has heaps to offer, fom the Sandhills region in the middle to the badlands towards the western border, students visiting the Cornhusker State have plenty to explore. The capitol can be found in Lincoln, which is just under two hours away from by Omaha – the largest city in Nebraska. That said, although the state offers a diverse array of recreational and educational opportunities, the key question remains whether or not it offers a viable employment landscape.

Employment Stats

On the employment front, it looks like Nebraska had a solid year, as it claimed the 36th spot with 1,038,700 employed workers at the end of 2022 (accounting for 0.68% of the nation's total). This marks a 28,200 job increase since 2021, when the state reported 1,010,500 employed. This marks an increase of 2.79%, making it the 30th fastest growing state in terms of jobs added year over year. Although these stats may seem appealing, the state still falls more than 900,000 below the national median (-47%). Nonetheless, Nebraska did outrank New Mexico, which is the state below it in employment rank with 855,000 employed, giving Nebraska an edge of 184,000 or 21.53%. Conversely, it just lost out to Mississippi, which listed 1,153,000 employed; 114,000 more than Nebraska (-9.9%). Bottom line, Nebraska may account for 0.68% of the nation's population, but it falls well short of the highest number of employed (94%).

Job Opportunities

The state of Nebraska has more than 600 different career opportunities (686 to be exact). This puts it at the 33rd slot, about 5% below the national median of about 700 occupations. So although it’s below the median, there’s still more than half a dozen different job pathways for you to choose from. Louisiana is a good example of the median number of job pathways, tallying 722 unique positions.

The state has a number of high ranking academic institutions, including the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, which is the flagship campus with an enrollment of nearly 25,000 students. The state is also home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, Union Pacific and Mutual of Omaha, but there are numerous other large companies like Conagra that are also headquartered in Nebraska.

Overall, Nebraska is an excellent destination for those looking to study, explore, and gain invaluable working experience. Given its vast land area and diverse population, Nebraska offers many job opportunities and a wide range of educational and recreational settings for students to enjoy. Although the current employment rate falls a bit below the national median, the jobs created in the last year point to a positive outlook for future economic growth, making it an attractive landing spot for prospective students.

*All data sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023)