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CollegeRanker
Private nonprofit Hastings, NE · Town · Plains · 100% data
B Earnings C+ Selectivity C Diversity
Graduation Rate
51% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$51,303 B
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$24,452 D
43% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
72% C+
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +26% vs avg
Graduation -10% vs avg
Net Price 43% vs avg
Mobility Top 71%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 12.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.0 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Psychology Colleges in Nebraska.

12.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $12.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,078,295.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 26% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $12.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Hastings College Matters

Hastings College is a private college in Hastings, NE and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
891
Setting
Town
Designations
66
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Social Sciences, Education

Why students choose Hastings College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 55% overall
B
Earnings
$51,303 median
C-
Value
2.1× net price
D
Affordability
$24,452/yr net
C-
Graduation
51% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.1% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Selectivity
72% admit rate
C
Diversity
0.60 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of just 891 students, Hastings College offers a more intimate educational experience that can be appealing for those looking for close interactions with faculty and peers. The college has a 72% acceptance rate, making it accessible for many students. Popular fields of study include Business and Marketing, Education, Visual and Performing Arts, Biology, and Psychology. Each of these programs allows students to dive deep into their interests while preparing for a variety of career paths.

Looking at what happens after graduation, the average earnings for Hastings graduates 10 years post-degree stand at $51,303. This figure suggests that students can find solid career opportunities that help them build a stable financial future. The affordability of attending Hastings is also noteworthy; with a net price of $24,452, it positions itself as a reasonable choice for many families. Although the graduation rate is 51%, those who complete their degrees tend to have a promising outlook.

On the financial side, students typically graduate with a median debt of $27,000, which is manageable given their earning potential. The 27% of students receiving Pell Grants indicates that there is support for those who may need it most. Hastings College seems to suit students who thrive in a supportive environment and are motivated to make the most of their educational journey, especially in the arts and sciences.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Hastings College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Hastings College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Hastings College, located in Hastings, Nebraska, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 72%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,320. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.

Acceptance Rate
72%
Retention Rate
66%
SAT Average
1320
ACT Range
26–30
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,146
Student–Faculty Ratio
12:1
Diversity Index
0.60
First-Gen Students
27%
Applicants
2,121
Admitted
1,513

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Hastings College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Hastings College is $37,770, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $24,452. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,646 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$37,770
Out-of-State
$37,770
Avg Net Price
$24,452
Median Debt
$27,000
Pell Grant Rate
27%
Federal Loan Rate
61%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$21,646
Family Income $30K–$48K
$18,812
Family Income $48K–$75K
$21,933
Family Income $110K+
$27,290

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Hastings College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Hastings College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Hastings College earn a median of $51,303, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$45,590
8 Years
$48,337
10 Years
$51,303
Debt-to-Earnings
0.53x
Earning > $25K
68%

Earnings Trajectory

$45,590 6yr $48,337 8yr $51,303 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (175)
51%
100% (175)
51%
100% (175)
51%
100% (175)
51%

How Hastings Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation51%Earnings 10yr$51KNet Price$24KRetention66%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate27%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$22K$0-30K$19K$30-48K$22K$48-75K$27K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%5.1%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%21.6%MOBILITY1.09%

College ROI Calculator

Is Hastings College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Hastings College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $24,452/year ($97,808 total). Graduates earn $51,303 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,176,103 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,078,295 (12.0× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 51% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$97,808
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,176,103
Net Return
$1,078,295
ROI Multiple
12.0×
Cost Per Year
$24,452
Median Debt
$27,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
51%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Hastings College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Hastings College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.09%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 5.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 21.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $82,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.09%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
21.6%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
5.1%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$112,360
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Hastings College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Hastings College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.68, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.68
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.4%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$2,775,741
Investment Income
$-9,021,569

Top Programs

The fields Hastings College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Hastings College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Hastings College, located in Hastings, Nebraska, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 72%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,320. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Hastings College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Hastings College is $37,770, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $24,452. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,646 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

Is Hastings College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Hastings College earn a median of $51,303, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Hastings College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Hastings College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.09%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 5.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 21.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $82,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Hastings College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Hastings College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.68, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Hastings College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys