

Fremont, NEprivate nonprofitmidlandu.edu
Admit rate has ranged 49%–67% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Midland University is a small, private liberal arts school in Fremont, Nebraska, that stakes its identity on a 'bold and modern' approach to hands-on learning and career preparation. With a notably accessible admissions process and a campus culture deeply intertwined with athletics and Christian ministry, it serves a regional student body seeking a direct, practical path from college to career, particularly in nursing, business, and education. Its outcomes reflect this mission, with graduates often securing solid starting salaries despite a graduation rate that signals the challenges some students face in persisting to a degree.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Midland's admissions process is characterized by its accessibility and straightforward requirements. The university received 1,402 undergraduate applications in 2024 and admitted 927 of those applicants, resulting in a 66% . Standardized test scores from the ACT or SAT are encouraged but not strictly required for incoming first-year students; the admissions office reports that 44% of the admitted class submitted ACT scores. The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 963–1170. The primary academic benchmark is a minimum 2.0 high school GPA. The university does not offer an Early Decision plan, and sources indicate that 'demonstrated interest'—a student's level of engagement with the school during the application process—is 'not considered' in admissions decisions, a policy typically reported in the .
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Compare on earnings: best colleges for Nursing · best colleges for Business · best colleges for Psychology · best colleges for Criminal Justice
Midland promotes a 'bold and modern' liberal arts education focused on building 'in-demand skills' through hands-on learning and personal attention. The student-faculty ratio is 13:1, supporting this emphasis on individual instruction. Students can explore more than 30 undergraduate programs, with popular majors including Education, Nursing, Business, and Kinesiology and Exercise Science. The curriculum is designed to encourage 'student involvement in learning' and may include structured concentrations. A distinctive feature is the Medical Arts program, which offers a '3+1' accelerated pathway. The average freshman retention rate, a common indicator of student satisfaction, is 69%.
Life at Midland extends beyond academics, with the university explicitly encouraging 'the growth of the whole student - mind, spirit, and body.' The total undergraduate enrollment is 1,333 (fall 2023), creating a tight-knit campus community. Student life is active and revolves around several key pillars:
The Student Life department works to support every student through comprehensive services, programs, and resources aimed at building community and empowering student leaders.
Midland's outcomes present a mixed picture, defined by strong early-career earnings against a backdrop of persistence challenges. The average starting salary for the Class of 2025 was $50,000, with graduates in Nursing, Accounting, and other fields often commanding solid offers. The median earnings for alumni ten years after entry are $52,163. However, the university's graduation rates are a point of struggle. The overall graduation rate is 42%, which places it in the bottom 25% nationally. The six-year graduation rate is 44%, and the rate for students who received a Pell Grant is even lower, at 34%. This gap suggests significant hurdles for lower-income students in completing their degrees.
Midland is a private institution with a published , but it uses institutional aid aggressively to reduce the for many students. The average undergraduate financial aid award from all sources (scholarships, grants, work, and loans) is $37,307, which covers approximately 70% of tuition, fees, room, and board. The average net price after aid is $26,267. The university offers merit-based scholarship enhancements of up to $36,000 total upon acceptance, though these institutional awards cannot be combined. is also available, including Federal Pell Grants for students with 'exceptional financial need.' The university's policy does not appear to be a 'no-loan' policy that meets full need without loans; instead, it utilizes a mix of grants, scholarships, work-study, and both federal and private student loans to craft financial aid packages. Private loans, which are credit-based and often require a co-signer, are also an option for students.
Midland University carves out a distinct niche by unapologetically marrying a liberal arts framework with vocational immediacy. It doesn't try to be an elite, highly-selective college; instead, it serves as a pragmatic launchpad for students in the Midwest, particularly those aiming for the high-demand fields of nursing, education, and business. Its 13:1 student-faculty ratio and emphasis on 'hands-on learning' translate theory into practice in tangible ways. The campus vibe is intensely communal—a blend of Christian ministry, spirited NAIA athletics, and Greek life that fosters a strong sense of belonging for students who buy into that culture. The trade-offs are clear: remarkably accessible admissions and the potential for a high-return starting salary come with the sobering reality of a low graduation rate, highlighting the support challenges some students encounter. For the right student—one seeking a direct, personal, and activity-rich path to a professional career—Midland offers a focused and potentially rewarding alternative to larger, more impersonal institutions.