Starting this fall, tuition rates at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture will be alike for resident and nonresident students. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the same-rate tuition plan recently at a meeting in Lincoln.

"This is excellent news for NCTA in providing a low-cost, affordable education for all students, particularly those who are residents of nearby states to Nebraska, and who are seeking a customized agriculture degree in a two-year program," says Ron Rosati, NCTA dean.

NCTA had proposed the equal rate of $121 per credit hour to assist in recruiting students to the Curtis campus for all of its technical programs, but particularly for academic degrees and certificates in specialized workforce development.

The all-agriculture college targets many ag professions, including newer areas where industry demand was a driving force in creating degrees, certificates or transfer programs for irrigation technology, welding, agricultural education and next fall, dairy production.

"While there is strong competition for our graduates of agriculture and veterinary technology experiential learning, NCTA strives to be responsive to all of industry through the many unique courses and programs we can offer here at Curtis, along with partnerships we share with other educational institutions," says Rosati. "Nonresident students will increase the number of graduates available to Nebraska industries."

Academic agreements with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln include an A-to-B transfer program for associate to bachelor's degrees. A partnership has recently been announced with South Dakota State University in dairy production.

The college is fully accredited, and has received national rankings such as a top 2% college by WalletHub, top 15% by the Aspen Institute, and top 50 of colleges offering applied associate of science degrees by Community College Week.

"NCTA is an outstanding institution not just because of its nationally ranked academic programs, but because it is also a cost-effective college option for Nebraska residents," Rosati says. "An analysis of three years of financial aid records shows that more than 90% of Nebraska residents attending NCTA received financial aid, and the average grant and scholarship component of the financial aid award exceeded the cost of tuition and fees by $700 per year."

The tuition rate of $121 per credit hour is subject to change by Board of Regents action. Additional information on NCTA's programs is available at ncta.unl.edu or 1-800-3CURTIS.

Source: NCTA