Skip to content
CollegeRanker
Southeast Community College Area logo

Southeast Community College Area

#6 Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska
Public Lincoln, NE · Urban · Plains · 87% data
B+ Value B+ Affordability C+ Earnings
Graduation Rate
36% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$43,405 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$9,171 B+
46% less than the typical college
Enrollment
6,773
Earnings +6% vs avg
Graduation -37% vs avg
Net Price +-46% vs avg
Mobility Top 67%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 26.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $26.7 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Most Affordable Colleges in Nebraska.

26.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $26.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $941,057.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 36% — 37% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $26.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Southeast Community College Area Matters

Southeast Community College Area is a public college in Lincoln, NE and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.

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

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
6,773
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Southeast Community College Area

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C
Top 47% overall
C+
Earnings
$43,405 median
B+
Value
4.7× net price
B+
Affordability
$9,171/yr net
D
Graduation
36% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.2% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Diversity
0.49 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Southeast Community College Area in Lincoln, Nebraska, serves around 6,773 students who are looking for practical, career-focused education. If you're drawn to fields like Health Professions, Business and Marketing, Mechanic and Repair Technology, Precision Production, or Computer Science and IT, this college might be a good fit. The focus here is on hands-on training that prepares students for immediate employment, which is a major draw for many.

When it comes to life after graduation, students can expect to earn about $43,405 ten years down the line. While the graduation rate sits at 36%, which might raise some questions, it's important to consider that many students at community colleges transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce sooner. The affordability factor also plays a role; the average annual net price is just $9,171, making it a practical choice for many.

Financially, students graduate with a median debt of $11,000, which is relatively manageable compared to many four-year colleges. The 22% Pell Grant rate indicates that a significant portion of students is receiving financial aid, which can help ease the burden. Those who thrive here are often those looking for a supportive environment that emphasizes skill development for immediate job opportunities.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Southeast Community College Area 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 Southeast Community College Area? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Southeast Community College Area, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

Retention Rate
70%
Full-Time Faculty
50%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,792
Student–Faculty Ratio
11:1
Diversity Index
0.49
First-Gen Students
39%

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 Southeast Community College Area? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Southeast Community College Area is $4,320, 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 $9,171. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,687 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,690
Out-of-State
$4,320
Avg Net Price
$9,171
Median Debt
$11,000
Pell Grant Rate
22%
Federal Loan Rate
13%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,687
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,587
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,987
Family Income $110K+
$13,054

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 Southeast Community College Area — 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 Southeast Community College Area Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Southeast Community College Area report median earnings of $43,405, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$39,103
8 Years
$41,041
10 Years
$43,405
Debt-to-Earnings
0.25x
Earning > $25K
62%

Earnings Trajectory

$39,103 6yr $41,041 8yr $43,405 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (173)
17%
100% (173)
17%
100% (173)
17%
100% (173)
17%

How Southeast Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation36%Earnings 10yr$43KNet Price$9KRetention70%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate22%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$9K$48-75K$13K$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%7.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%15.6%MOBILITY1.15%

College ROI Calculator

Is Southeast Community College Area Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Southeast Community College Area delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,171/year ($36,684 total). Graduates earn $43,405 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $977,741 in total earnings — a net gain of $941,057 (26.7× your investment). The median debt is $11,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 36% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$36,684
Projected 20yr Earnings
$977,741
Net Return
$941,057
ROI Multiple
26.7×
Cost Per Year
$9,171
Median Debt
$11,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
36%

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 Southeast Community College Area Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Southeast Community College Area 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 1.15%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 7.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 15.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $70,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.15%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
15.6%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
7.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$96,328
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Southeast Community College Area? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Southeast Community College Area. Its economic connectedness score is 1.20, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.06). Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.20
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.06
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.0%
Support Ratio
0.96
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

Investment Income
$189,527

Top Programs

The fields Southeast Community College Area 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 Southeast Community College Area? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Southeast Community College Area, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southeast Community College Area? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Southeast Community College Area is $4,320, 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 $9,171. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,687 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.

Is Southeast Community College Area Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Southeast Community College Area report median earnings of $43,405, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Southeast Community College Area Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Southeast Community College Area 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 1.15%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 7.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 15.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $70,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Southeast Community College Area? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Southeast Community College Area. Its economic connectedness score is 1.20, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.06). Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Southeast Community College Area.

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