Head-to-head comparison
Hastings College vs Union Adventist University: which has better ROI?
Option A Hastings, NE
Hastings College
- Net price / year
- $24,452
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,303
- Payback
- 33.2 yrs
Option B Lincoln, NE
Union Adventist University
- Net price / year
- $23,716
- Earnings, 10 years
- $55,045
- Payback
- 14.2 yrs
Union Adventist University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $94,864 in 14.2 years versus 33.2 years at Hastings College, on median earnings of $55,045 vs $51,303 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Hastings College | Union Adventist University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,452 | $23,716 |
| Total net cost | $97,808 | $94,864 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,303 | $55,045 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 33.2 yrs | 14.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$38,948 | $38,836 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Hastings College or Union Adventist University?
Union Adventist University, at $23,716 a year after aid versus $24,452 — a gap of $736 a year, or $2,944 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Hastings College or Union Adventist University graduates earn more?
Union Adventist University graduates report a median $55,045 ten years after entry, $3,742 more than the $51,303 at Hastings College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Hastings College or Union Adventist University?
Completers at both borrow a median $27,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
52% of students finish at Union Adventist University, against 49% at Hastings College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.