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LinkedIn Names Omaha a Top 10 “City on the Rise”

UNO is helping fuel that rise, zooming past metros like Austin, Kansas City, Portland and Raleigh-Durham through strategic academic and workforce development efforts.

  • published: 2025/07/15
  • contact: Sam Peshek - Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
UNO Social Media Ambassadors Miracle Olawuyi (left) and Lana Huetson (right) in downtown Omaha, Nebraska.

UNO Social Media Ambassadors Miracle Olawuyi (left) and Lana Huetson (right) in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Photo: Ryan Soderlin, UNO Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications

A new LinkedIn report just confirmed what Omahans have long known: This city is on the move.


➡️ What’s new: The Omaha Metro Area ranked No. 10 in LinkedIn’s “Cities on the Rise 2025” list, a national report spotlighting the 25 fastest-growing U.S. metros for jobs and new talent.

  • Omaha placed ahead of other growing metros like the Kansas City Metro Area, the Austin Metro Area, the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area, the Portland Metro Area, and the San Antonio Metro Area.

💡Why it matters: LinkedIn’s data points to surging job growth in finance, insurance, healthcare, and professional services — industries deeply connected to the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO)’s academic and workforce development efforts.

  • Omaha’s national momentum is no accident: It’s the result of deep-rooted community investment, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and institutions like UNO preparing the next generation of talent to lead.

🔎 Zoom in: A closer look at how UNO is shaping the Metro’s economic future through a focus on workforce development, student experience, and affordability:

  • 85% of UNO students come from the Omaha metro, and 67% of graduates still live in Nebraska five years after graduation, the highest retention in the NU System.

  • UNO grads carry the lowest average student debt in the system at $19,000, nearly half the national average.

  • In FY2024, UNO generated $1 billion in economic impact for Nebraska.

  • Military Times ranked UNO the No. 1 public university in the U.S. for veterans.

  • Through Career Connect, more than 100 employers offer 8,000+ internship opportunities annually to UNO students.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university, committed to innovating for the public good, advancing social mobility, powering workforce development, and serving as a hub for community engagement. Nearly 15,000 Mavericks choose UNO for its hands-on education experiences, nationally ranked online and graduate programs, military-connected student support, and innovative approaches to supporting lifelong learning. UNO holds the Carnegie Research Activity “R2” designation, securing more than $40 million annually in external research funding and counts its faculty among the world’s most cited scholars. Sixteen Omaha Athletics programs compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Summit League and National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). 

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