Nebraska College unaffordability

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At least it sounds like they are trying to solve this problem.

Nebraska gets an 'F' for college affordability


Getting a college education in Nebraska has grown more expensive over the past decade, earning the state a failing grade for affordability from a newly released higher education report.

The report, titled "Measuring Up 2004," was released Wednesday by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, an independent, nonprofit California-based organization that looked at various aspects of higher education in all 50 states.

Several factors played into Nebraska's failing grade, but state higher education officials agreed that the state's lack of need-based financial aid was chief among them.

"Nebraska does not rank well among the states in getting that student aid," said David Powers, executive director of the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.

Powers said the Nebraska Legislature has stepped up efforts in recent years to remedy that. He noted that this year lawmakers tapped $2 million in lottery funds for need-based financial aid, to take the state's total aid for low-income students to more than $7.7 million. Within two years, lottery funds for need-based financial aid will rise to $4 million, Powers said.

"We are delighted that the Legislature understood what was happening there," he said.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents also took steps earlier this year to help low-income students by creating a tuition assistance program, NU spokesman Joe Rowson said.

The program is available to in-state students who have qualified for federal Pell Grants. After the Pell Grants and any other aid are applied, the university will pick up the rest of the student's tuition and fees.

"I don't want to mislead anyone here," Rowson said. "This does not cover your room and board and books and things like that."

But those efforts could go a long way toward raising Nebraska's affordability score on future reports, Rowson and Powers said.

"I think it will go up to at least a 'D,' if not a 'C,'" Powers said.

Also hurting Nebraska's score is the disproportionate amount of family income needed to send someone to college, the report said.

About 24 percent of the average family's annual income in Nebraska is needed for a person to attend the state's public four-year colleges, compared with about 17 percent needed a decade ago, the report said. The report calculates the average yearly cost of attending a four- year public university at $7,667, including tuition, room and board, and other fees.

If there is any consolation in the poor mark, it's that Nebraska was one of 36 states to receive a failing grade for affordability.

Iowa also received an "F."

Only three states - California, Minnesota and Utah - scored a "C" or higher in affordability. No state earned an "A."

The report uses U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Education numbers to grade states, not individual colleges and universities.

Nebraska scored high in other categories. The state received an "A" for its high proportion of students enrolling in higher education. It scored a "B+" for its preparation of high school students for college, noting that the large number of secondary students enrolled in upper-level math and science courses.

Nebraska also scored a "B" for having an 80 percent college graduation rate.

Tuition costs at Nebraska's state universities, colleges
Tuition costs per credit hour at public four-year colleges and universities for the 2003-2004 school year:

University of Nebraska at Kearney
Undergraduate, resident $116.50
Graduate, resident $144.25
Undergraduate, nonresident $238.25
Graduate, nonresident $298.25


University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Undergraduate, resident $143.75
Graduate, resident $190.00
Undergraduate, nonresident $426.75
Graduate, nonresident $512.00


University of Nebraska at Omaha
Undergraduate, resident $131.25
Graduate, resident $163.50
Undergraduate, nonresident $386.75
Graduate, nonresident $430.00


University of Nebraska Medical Center
Undergraduate, resident $143.75
Graduate, resident $190.00
Undergraduate, nonresident $426.75
Graduate, nonresident $512.00


Peru, Wayne, Chadron State Colleges
Undergraduate, resident $87
Graduate, resident $110
Undergraduate, nonresident $174
Graduate, nonresident $220