University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) vs Stanford

Nestled in the heartland of America, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and the prestigious Stanford University in California's Silicon Valley stand as two distinct beacons of higher education. While both institutions offer world-class academics and vibrant campus life, they differ significantly in several key aspects. UNL boasts a much higher acceptance rate, making it more accessible to a broader range of students. In contrast, Stanford's highly selective admissions process ensures a highly competitive and academically rigorous environment. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.
Stanford University logo

Stanford University

University of Nebraska-Lincoln logo

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Overview

Location Stanford, California Lincoln, Nebraska
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 98.0% 80.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 3.9% 81.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $125
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1470 - 1570 1090 - 1320
ACT range 34 - 35 22 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 15.0% 8.0%
Students submitting ACT score 11.0% 85.0%
Total number of applicants 55,471 17,775
Total number of admissions given out 2,190 14,411
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,757 4,736
Yield rate 80.2% 32.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,898
In state: $26,316

Out of state: $43,446
Average net price $14,402 $18,403
Tuition $55,473
In state: $7,770

Out of state: $24,900
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,166

Meal plan: $6,694
Room/dormitory: $7,485

Meal plan: $4,653
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

61.0%
Average amount $56,211
96.0%
Average amount $8,608
Students receiving federal student loan 5.0%
Average amount $5,151
34.0%
Average amount $4,691
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $17,186
5.0%
Average amount $13,909

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,645
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
19,552
Men 50.5% Women 49.5%
Graduate students 10,035
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
4,879
Men 49.2% Women 50.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students 58.5% 25.7%
International students 24.4% 7.4%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 14,621 6,936
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Texas Washington New York Illinois Nebraska Illinois Minnesota Kansas Iowa

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 5:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 95.5% 66.4%
Dropout rate 1.7% 10.7%
Transferred out 0.6% 21.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $151,574
  • Year 2: $170,457
  • Year 3: $210,837
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $159,729
  • Year 2: $168,942
  • Year 3: $203,193
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $164,734
  • Year 2: $163,337
  • Year 3: $187,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $137,457
  • Year 2: $150,874
  • Year 3: $173,548
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $136,126
  • Year 2: $136,499
  • Year 3: $165,375
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $128,556
  • Year 2: $135,709
  • Year 3: $157,500
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,354
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $139,234
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,326
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $126,185
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,457
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $107,477
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,475
  • Year 2: $85,391
  • Year 3: $104,592
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,695
  • Year 2: $91,017
  • Year 3: $102,607
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,888
  • Year 2: $78,134
  • Year 3: $86,893
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,533
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $86,584
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,494
  • Year 2: $68,918
  • Year 3: $78,265
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,969
  • Year 2: $70,680
  • Year 3: $75,873
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,040
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $74,823
Education, Other (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $72,325
  • Year 3: $73,798
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,124
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $73,111
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,572
  • Year 2: $66,168
  • Year 3: $72,183
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,299
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $71,063

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