Doane University

Private · Moderately Selective · NE

Photo: Ammodramus (CC0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNE · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads978

Student:faculty11:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate49.4%

6-yr grad rate57.1%

Drop-out rate20.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$44k

Out-of-state tuition$44k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity34%

Gender diversity45.2%

International6.2%

Identity—

Overview

Doane University in Crete, Nebraska, is the state's oldest private liberal arts college, on a lakeside campus southwest of Lincoln. It combines a traditional residential undergraduate program in Crete with adult, graduate, and online programs based in Lincoln, giving the institution two distinct student populations under one name.

Academics

Teacher education and pre-health tracks are the strongest programs at the Crete campus, with small classes supporting close faculty contact. The Lincoln-based adult and graduate programs run on a different schedule and format geared toward working students.

Campus & student life

The small size of the Crete campus supports unusually heavy participation in athletics, music ensembles, and Greek life relative to the size of the student body — a large share of students take part in at least one of these rather than a small subset dominating campus social life.

Getting in

Doane's traditional undergraduate admissions process is holistic and accessible, weighing essays and fit alongside grades, while the Lincoln adult-completion programs use separate, more flexible pathways for working students.

Worth knowing

Prospective students should understand Doane runs two fairly separate identities — a traditional residential lakeside campus in Crete for most undergraduates, and a working-adult-oriented Lincoln operation for degree completion and graduate study.

doane.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate98%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying