Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

What Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture does

NCTA is a public two-year college within the University of Nebraska system, headquartered in Curtis, Nebraska, and dedicated exclusively to agriculture and veterinary technology education. Founded in 1869 as the Nebraska School of Agriculture, it transitioned to a technical college in 1965 and now offers associate degrees, one-year certificates, online courses, and dual-credit programs for high school students. Core offerings include Agricultural Production Systems (with concentrations in animal science, agronomy, ag mechanics, livestock management, equine, and ag education), Veterinary Technology, and Agribusiness Management, supported by stackable certificates in welding, irrigation technology, animal care, equine training, crop production, beef production, and ag equipment.

The college's value proposition rests on experiential learning via a 2,100-acre working ranch, on-campus barns, labs, feedlot, and a clinic, plus distinctive programmatic assets such as the University Beef farm-to-table program (a partnership with UNL and UNK), a FANUC robotic welder in Ag Mechanics, and nationally competitive judging teams (crops judging, livestock judging, ranch horse, shotgun sports, stock dog, rodeo). It is the only college in Nebraska dedicated solely to agriculture and veterinary technology, ranked a top-30 trade school by Forbes, and accredited through the Higher Learning Commission.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees at published-affordable rates, supplemented by state appropriations (as a public institution under the UN Board of Regents), recurring philanthropy (e.g., the Glow Big Red annual giving campaign), and targeted grants (e.g., a $644,489 USDA grant for meat processing curriculum). Distribution is via direct enrollment supported by a strong FFA recruitment network (state and national conventions), campus Discovery Days, dual-credit partnerships with Nebraska high schools, and the 2024-launched inaugural Precision Ag Conference. A 2025 alignment with UNL's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) creates seamless transfer pathways, and a 2+2 partnership with UNK supports four-year degree completion. As of Fall 2023, NCTA enrolled 232 students from 13+ states; the institutional target is 500 students within 10 years to address workforce needs in Nebraska's agriculture sector, which accounts for nearly one in four state jobs.

Name

Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Legal name

Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Website

https://ncta.unl.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NCTA is a public two-year college in Curtis, Nebraska, within the University of Nebraska system, offering associate degrees and certificates in agriculture and veterinary technology. It serves high school graduates, FFA members, and Nebraska's agricultural workforce through hands-on learning on a 2,100-acre ranch.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural & Veterinary Technology Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural education
• Veterinary technology training
• Technical agriculture degrees
• Hands-on farming education
• Associate degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Curtis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Two-year institution with tuition-based revenue model for associate degrees and certificates in agriculture and veterinary technology
2. Government Grants: $644,489 USDA grant for meat processing curriculum development
3. Philanthropic Donations: $6 million challenge gift from Barbara and Wally Weitz for Student Success and Activity Center; ongoing Glow Big Red annual fundraising campaign

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NCTA is a two-year public college within the University of Nebraska system that delivers associate degrees, certificates, and continuing education programs in agriculture and veterinary technology. Core academic offerings include Agricultural Production Systems, Veterinary Technology, and Agribusiness Management, complemented by stackable certificate programs (Agricultural Welding, Irrigation Technology, Animal Care, Equine Training, Crop Production, Beef Production, Ag Equipment), online courses, and dual credit options for high school students. The college integrates hands-on learning through a 2,100-acre working ranch, campus barns, labs, feedlot, and clinics.

Product overview

Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is a two-year institution offering a portfolio of associate degrees, certificates, and continuing education programs in agriculture and veterinary technology. The core educational offerings include Agricultural Production Systems (with concentrations in animal science, agronomy, ag equipment, livestock, equine, and ag education), Veterinary Technology, and Agribusiness Management. These programs are complemented by stackable certificate programs (Agricultural Welding, Irrigation Technology, Animal Care, Equine Training, Crop Production, Beef Production), flexible online courses, and dual credit options for high school students. The institution integrates experiential learning through competitive student teams (crops judging, ranch horse, livestock judging, shotgun sports, stock dog, rodeo), campus clubs, and hands-on learning facilities including barns, labs, fields, a working ranch, and clinic. A 2+2 partnership with UNK enables seamless transfer to four-year degrees. The institution is part of the University of Nebraska system and holds accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agricultural Production Systems Associate degree program preparing students for careers in agriculture through concentrations in animal science, agronomy, ag equipment, livestock industry management, diversified agriculture, equine industry management, and ag education. Combines classroom instruction with hands-on learning in real barns, fields, labs, and clinics.
• Veterinary Technology Two-year Associate of Science degree program training students as veterinary technicians. Students gain experience with diverse animals through clinical rotations, internships, and the campus menagerie. Prepares graduates for VTNE certification.
• Agribusiness Management Associate degree program combining business principles with agricultural industry knowledge. Covers marketing, management, finance, accounting, and supply chain management. Offers a 2+2 pathway to a four-year degree at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
• Certificate Programs One-year and two-year certificate programs including Agricultural Welding, Irrigation Technology, Animal Care, Equine Training, Crop Production, Beef Production, and Ag Equipment. Stackable credentials that complement degree programs or provide standalone workforce training.
• Online Courses Flexible online agriculture courses in agribusiness, veterinary technology, and animal science offering affordable online options for students who cannot attend on-campus classes.
• Dual Credit Program Program allowing high school students to earn college credit while still in high school, providing a pathway to NCTA programs and reducing time to degree completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of graduates employed or continuing education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• West Central Research and Extension CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2024Co-presenter of inaugural Precision Ag Conference focused on data-driven farming practices, GIS technology, and sustainable agricultural solutions.
• Nebraska GIS/LIS Association and CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2024Co-presenters of Precision Ag Conference, providing six-month memberships to GIS professionals statewide and bridging agriculture-technology connections.
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Full partnership in University Beef program where NCTA students raise cattle on campus and 2,100-acre ranch, cattle are processed at UNL's Loeffel Meat Lab, and served at UNK dining facilities. Also provides dual enrollment pathways and transfer opportunities through CASNR.
• University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Partner in University Beef program where UNK dining services (Sodexo) serves NCTA-raised beef to students. Also provides 2+2 pathway for NCTA students to complete four-year degrees in marketing, management, finance, accounting, and supply chain management.
• Cash-Wa DistributingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Kearney-based distributor supporting University Beef program by transporting finished beef products from UNL to UNK.
• SodexocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Dining services provider at UNK that prepares and serves University Beef raised by NCTA students, offering higher-quality beef to campus dining.
• Long AgronomicsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2024Minden, Nebraska agronomics company where NCTA students complete internships as crop scouts, gaining practical experience in crop disease identification and analysis.
• Phi Theta Kappa Honor SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpha Iota Tau Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa recognizes academic excellence with over 2.5 million members and 1,250 chapters worldwide including chapters in US, Canada, Germany and Peru.
• Nebraska FFA AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnership with Nebraska FFA hosting District LDE and CDE events on campus. Over 7,000 FFA members attend state convention. Most NCTA students have FFA background.
• Ag Teacher Bootcamp ParticipantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school teachers from Colorado and Kansas attend Ag Teacher Bootcamp on NCTA campus to learn hands-on agriculture activities for their classrooms.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Black Hawk College: Illinois public community college with a well-known Agriculture/Equine Science program and judging teams; comparable to NCTA in two-year ag degree structure, judging team prominence, and transfer pathways.
• Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College: Georgia's public two-year agricultural college with hands-on programs in animal science, agronomy, agribusiness, and ag mechanics — directly comparable to NCTA in mission, degree mix, and rural experiential learning model.
• Highland Community College: Kansas public community college with agriculture, agribusiness, and ag-mechanics programs including judging teams; comparable to NCTA as a neighboring Plains-state two-year ag institution.
• Mitchell Technical College: South Dakota public technical college offering ag, meat processing, and trades programs; comparable to NCTA as a regional two-year ag-focused technical institution serving a multi-state rural catchment.
• Casper College: Wyoming public community college with agriculture programs and competitive livestock/rodeo teams; comparable to NCTA as a regional two-year institution serving ag communities in the western Plains.
• Northeast Iowa Community College: Iowa public community college with agriculture programs including precision ag, animal science, and ag-business; comparable to NCTA as a Midwest two-year technical ag institution with judging teams.
• University of Northwestern Ohio: Ohio private not-for-profit institution with strong agribusiness, ag-mechanics, and HVAC/welding programs; comparable to NCTA in applied-technical credential focus and employer-aligned curriculum.
• Modesto Junior College: California public community college with one of the nation's largest two-year ag programs including ag mechanics, plant science, and animal science; comparable to NCTA in scale of ag offerings and judging team culture.
• SUNY Cobleskill: New York public four-year college with strong two-year associate programs in agriculture, animal science, and agricultural engineering; comparable to NCTA in technical-ag focus and hands-on experiential learning.

Broad incumbents

• University of Nebraska College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR): UNL's flagship four-year college of agriculture; comparable as NCTA's parent-system partner and the institution that grants NCTA's transfer-pathway four-year degrees in CASNR disciplines.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxJFSjoRcdY
• Facebookfacebook.com/CurtisAggies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/nebraska-college-of-technical-agriculture

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture