University of Nebraska at Omaha

Gaining admission to the University of Nebraska--Omaha is relatively accessible. In the 2025 cycle, the university accepted 87% of undergraduate applicants, an admission rate higher than 47% of 30 public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. In the 2027 U.S. News ranking, the institution placed at 299, down from 230 in 2019. While the acceptance rate demonstrates an open admissions environment, the university experiences solid enrollment yield relative to its cohort. Its yield rate stood at 26.3% in 2025, higher than 90% of peer schools, showing that it draws an above-average share of its admitted applicants compared with similar institutions. For prospective students, these patterns mean that qualifying applicants have a high likelihood of receiving an admission offer, while the university maintains steady appeal among admitted students deciding where to enroll.

Standardized test scores are required for undergraduate admission at the University of Nebraska--Omaha. For the 2025 entering class, the middle 50 percent of enrolled students posted an ACT composite score between 19 and 26. The ACT is by far the primary testing credential evaluated by the university, with 69 percent of entering students submitting ACT results in 2025. Standardized testing via the SAT is exceedingly rare at the institution, with only 1 percent of students submitting SAT scores in 2018. Because published academic records focus on these testing benchmarks, applicants can use the composite ACT range as a baseline for preparation. Securing a test score near the upper end of the 19 to 26 range positions an applicant comfortably alongside the typical undergraduate profile at the university.

Undergraduate degrees show moderate concentration across academic departments, with the top three bachelor's programs accounting for 31.1% of all undergraduate degrees in 2025. The single largest undergraduate major was General Studies, producing 327 graduates, followed by Criminal Justice and Safety Studies as well as Psychology. However, the university's largest undergraduate programs do not overlap with its most celebrated academic standings, which reside in specialized graduate disciplines. In the 2026 U.S. News graduate rankings, the public affairs program placed 6th in Public Finance and Budgeting and 12th in Local Government Management, while Criminology ranked 13th in 2021. In terms of post-graduation compensation, 2023 data show that technical fields yield the highest early earnings. Graduates in Computer and Information Technology Administration achieved median first-year earnings of $79,901, with Computer Science graduates close behind. For prospective applicants, while broad social programs draw large enrollments, the school's standout national reputation lies in public affairs, alongside lucrative employment outcomes in computing disciplines.

The student body encompasses nearly fifteen thousand students across degree programs, primarily consisting of undergraduates. White students represent the largest demographic in every division, followed by a sizeable Hispanic population. Representation of Asian and international students varies distinctly between undergraduate and graduate levels. Among first-year freshmen in 2025, Asian students numbered 164, accounting for 7.8% of the entering class, while international freshmen formed a small presence. At the advanced level, international students play a considerably larger role. In the graduate division, international enrollment reached 346 students, representing 10.8% of the graduate cohort, while Asian students formed a smaller graduate share. Female students comprise a clear majority in both undergraduate and graduate programs. For incoming students, this composition reflects a regional public institution with targeted pockets of demographic diversity at advanced levels.

The undergraduate population consists overwhelmingly of traditional college-aged students, creating an active daytime campus environment. In 2025, students aged 20 to 21 made up the largest undergraduate segment at 32.9%, closely followed by those aged 18 to 19 at 31.8%. Together with students in their early twenties, traditional-age undergraduates define the residential and extracurricular rhythms of campus. By contrast, the graduate division reflects working professionals and returning adults. Students aged 25 to 29 formed the largest graduate bracket at 27.7%, with substantial cohorts also falling between ages 22 and 34. This age separation means campus life centers predominantly around young undergraduates, while graduate education accommodates individuals balancing advanced studies with professional development.

International student representation at the University of Nebraska--Omaha has declined over the past decade, though presence varies considerably by degree level. In 2025, international students made up 3.1% of the undergraduate population, down from earlier years. Even with that contraction, this undergraduate proportion was higher than 80% of peer public comprehensive universities with similar rankings. At the graduate level, the international share has also trended downward over the past decade, reaching 10.8% in 2025. When looking at degree completions, international graduates are thinly represented in undergraduate programs but heavily concentrated in advanced technical fields. Among master's degrees, international representation is largest in Mathematics and Computer Science, where international scholars constitute a substantial majority of degree recipients, while fields like general business and public administration enroll primarily domestic cohorts. At the doctoral level, international students account for significant shares in Information Technology and Biomechanics. For international applicants, these patterns suggest an undergraduate experience centered largely around domestic peers, alongside specialized graduate STEM cohorts with greater global representation.

Applicants exploring regional public and private alternatives can consider several institutions in neighboring areas. Located just 3.2 kilometers away in the same city, Creighton University is a private national university ranked 100th in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. About 47.2 kilometers to the southwest sits the flagship campus of the state system, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which held a national ranking of 169. Across state borders in Iowa, families can look at Drake University, located 124.3 kilometers away and ranked 191st, or Iowa State University, positioned 132.9 kilometers away with a national university rank of 116. These nearby colleges give prospective students access to distinct campus environments ranging from urban private settings to large public land-grant universities within a couple hours of travel.

Campus safety at the university has remained steady over recent years. In 2025, the school recorded a crime rate per 1,000 students of 6.0, showing little change from its level in 2016. From 2023 to 2025, the majority of documented campus safety incidents involved substance-related policy violations addressed through institutional procedures rather than violent crime. Disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations represented the largest overall category, totaling 455 incidents over that three-year period. Disciplinary referrals for drug law violations followed with 76 incidents. Other recorded occurrences across those years included drug arrests, motor vehicle theft, and small numbers of alcohol arrests and dating offenses. For families and prospective students evaluating campus security, these figures demonstrate that disciplinary substance enforcement accounts for the vast majority of safety interventions, with overall crime metrics maintaining a consistent baseline over time.