The cost of college in Nevada — and what it pays back
Across the 22 Nevada institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $21,891/yr, $4,989 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $38,981 ten years after entry (below the $43,549 national median), and 5 of the 22 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Nevada's 22 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamberlain University-Nevada | $27,073 | $92,405 | 2.5 yrs |
| Galen Health Institutes-Las Vegas | $24,190 | $61,480 | 3.7 yrs |
| University of Nevada-Reno | $15,927 | $60,614 | 5.2 yrs |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | $10,359 | $55,037 | 6.2 yrs |
| Nevada State University | $14,068 | $53,166 | 11.7 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Southern Nevada | $6,615 | $38,087 | no payback |
| Truckee Meadows Community College | $8,312 | $44,573 | no payback |
| Great Basin College | $8,471 | $39,289 | no payback |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | $10,359 | $55,037 | 6.2 yrs |
| Western Nevada College | $12,732 | $41,987 | no payback |
How many Nevada colleges actually pay for themselves?
5 of 22 — 23% of the Nevada institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Nevada graduates out-earn the national median?
Nevada graduates report a median $38,981 ten years after entry, $4,568 below the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.