Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,676
Est. from national median (29 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$27,000
Est. from national median (9 programs)

Analysis

Based on comparable homeland security bachelor's programs nationally, Bellevue's estimated first-year earnings of $48,676 exceed what the one other Nebraska program with reported data shows—University of Nebraska at Omaha graduates start at $42,058. That $6,600 advantage suggests Bellevue may be positioning its graduates effectively, though without program-specific data, it's impossible to confirm whether this school actually achieves these outcomes or simply benefits from being benchmarked against stronger national peers.

The estimated $27,000 debt load sits above both the national median ($23,475) and Nebraska's typical figure ($21,465) for this field. At a 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio, borrowers would need roughly half their first year's salary to cover what they owe—manageable if the earnings estimate holds, but potentially problematic if this program's actual outcomes skew closer to Nebraska's lower state average. With 29% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are price-sensitive and can't afford to gamble on optimistic projections.

The core challenge is that you're making an investment decision based entirely on what peer programs achieve elsewhere, not on Bellevue's track record in homeland security specifically. If this program genuinely matches national performance, the debt burden is reasonable. But if it underperforms—landing closer to that $42,000 Nebraska benchmark—you're looking at a weaker return with above-average debt. Request placement data and salary outcomes directly from the school before committing.

Where Bellevue University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all homeland security bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Nebraska

Homeland Security bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Nebraska (2 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Bellevue UniversityBellevue$8,886$48,676*—$27,000*—
University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha$8,370$42,058*—$21,465*0.51
National Median—$48,676*—$23,475*0.48
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with homeland security graduates

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

Postsecondary Teachers, All Other

All postsecondary teachers not listed separately.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other

All protective service supervisors not listed separately above.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Bellevue University, approximately 29% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 29 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.