NCTA graduates top earnings report

August 10, 2018                                                               

By Mary Crawford, NCTA News

CURTIS, Neb. – Aggie graduates at Curtis have high earnings after 10 years in the workforce, a national financial report says, when reviewing salaries of graduates from Nebraska’s two-year colleges.

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, which is the only two-year campus of the University of Nebraska system, topped the analysis done by Zippia.com.

“Using the most recent College Scorecard data, we looked at the junior colleges in each state with the highest average earners 10 years after entry,” Heidi Cope wrote in the online report at https://bit.ly/2npOhNn, a shortened link to the Zippia web site.

The national review is the second consecutive year for NCTA at the top rating of workforce salaries compared to the cost of an associate degree program evaluated among Nebraska’s two-year colleges.

NCTA focuses on technical workforce development, primarily from its four academic divisions:  agribusiness management, agronomy and agricultural mechanics, animal science and agricultural education, or veterinary technology. Some students stay a third year for a double major.

“Aggie graduates appreciate the opportunities they have to earn a high-quality, affordable associate degree which prepares for success in their chosen industries,” said Ron Rosati, college dean.

Whether studying careers such as agricultural production, irrigation technology or agribusiness, Rosati said Aggie graduates know they will be skilled employees with staying power.

Job placement is nearly 100 percent, Rosati said.

“Our faculty receives dozens of telephone calls from employers searching for NCTA graduates. The strong demand from employers is additional evidence of the skills of our students. ”

Federal government data from College Scorecard is used in the analysis by Zippia to analyze graduate salaries 10 or more years after graduation. 

Nebraska results show NCTA graduates have average annual earnings of $43,700 and college costs of $11,068, as reported by College Scorecard, a U.S. Department of Education web site.

“We are pleased to again receive this third-party recognition of the quality and affordability of an NCTA degree, as measured by the long-term, documented success of our students after they enter the workforce,” Rosati said.

When NCTA classes begin August 20, students will pay $131.50 per credit hour, regardless of residency.

The affordability, excellent faculty and hands-on learning with the college’s farm, livestock and teaching resources draws students nationally.

“Students from rural areas as well as from large cities are attracted to a small, friendly college where they can bring their horses and dogs to live nearby campus too,” said Jennifer McConville, associate dean.

NCTA expects about 300 students arriving in the coming week, joining a community of 920 residents.

See ncta.unl.edu for more information.