Impact to the State of Nebraska

Labor Force Needs

Nebraska has a strong and growing demand for trained planners. Closing CRP will reduce the number of qualified professionals in-state, creating workforce shortages that affect communities large and small.

  • According to the 2025 Goss and Associates report, Nebraska’s occupational job growth in Community and Regional Planning exceeded U.S. growth by 40.4%.
  • Two of the top 10 design/planning firms are headquartered in Nebraska.
  • The CRP program reports a 100% job placement rate.
  • In 2024, 70% of CRP graduates stayed in Nebraska, directly strengthening communities across the state.

Economic Impact

  • 2024 COA Contributions to Gross State Product: $25.2 Million
  • 2024 COA Earnings Income: $14.8 Million
  • UNL’s College of Architecture produces $12.21 of Nebraska’s earnings for every $1.00 of state tuition support.
  • 2024 CRP community projects across the state: $1.9 Million
  • Alumni lifetime contribution (40 years) of Nebraska CRP alumni yields:
    • $1.4 billion in total economic output for Nebraska
    • $111.3 million in combined state and local taxes

Community Engagement

  • The CRP program is deeply connected to Nebraska communities through service-learning and engagement projects. Eliminating it would significantly reduce UNL’s ability to partner with towns, cities, nonprofits, and state agencies.
  • Over the last four years, CRP has contributed $1.12 million in in-kind time to Nebraska communities.
  • Examples of impact include:
    • Brownville: Flood recovery planning supported museum/park restoration and grant preparation.
    • Fremont: Created flood maps and CRS credits, resulting in insurance savings and millions in avoided damages.
    • Regional Flood Resilience Project: Spanning 31 Nebraska communities, this work has prevented tens of millions in potential damages.

Enrollment and Student Choice

  • Students who want to study planning are unlikely to switch to another major at UNL; most will leave Nebraska to pursue their education elsewhere. This would reduce enrollment, contribute to outmigration, and result in revenue loss for UNL.
  • CRP enrollment has grown by 53% in the past eight years—a clear indicator of strong and rising student demand.

Brain Drain

Nebraska already struggles to retain young professionals. Without CRP, more students will leave the state for their degrees—and many may not return.

  • In 2024, the CRP program contributed significantly to Nebraska’s Brain Gain, recruiting both nonresident and Nebraska high school students to study and remain in the state.