The standard Nebraska abbreviation is NE, the Postal Service code for the Cornhusker State. It goes on envelopes and forms, as in "Omaha, NE 68102." Before postal codes, writers used the traditional forms Neb. and Nebr., which still turn up in older books, maps and citations.
NE can be tricky because the same letters also stand for northeast on maps and street signs. Context sorts it out: after a city name it is the state; next to a street or a compass it is a direction.
Quick facts
Postal code
NETraditional
Neb. (most common), Nebr.In running text
Nebraska, spelled outCapital city
LincolnStatehood
1867, the 37th stateNot to be confused with
NB (New Brunswick), NV (Nevada), NE (northeast)
Nebraska abbreviation forms: NE and its older cousins
| Form | Type | Where you will see it |
|---|---|---|
| NE | USPS postal code | Addresses, shipping, online forms, spreadsheets |
| Neb. | Traditional abbreviation | Older newspapers, maps, reference books |
| Nebr. | Longer traditional form | Some government and library records |
Before the two-letter system arrived, the post office briefly used NB for Nebraska. It was changed to NE so it would not clash with New Brunswick, a Canadian province, which is one reason NB still causes confusion today. Codes for every state are listed on our state abbreviations hub.
Abbreviation for Nebraska on letters and forms
Use NE whenever a carrier, a scanner or a computer will read the address. Write it in capitals, no period, one space after the comma that follows the city.
Return address: "Kearney, NE 68845." A college application, a tax form and an online order all expect NE in this spot. Typing "Neb." in the state box may be rejected by the form.
What is the abbreviation for Nebraska in a paper or article?
Spell it out. A sentence such as "The team flew home to Lincoln, Nebraska" reads better than any short form, and current news style spells out every state name in the body of a story.
Neb. is fine where space is tight, such as a sports table or a caption, and it is what you will find in older newspaper archives. Pick one form for a single document and do not mix NE and Neb. in the same list. Our guide on how to abbreviate covers that kind of consistency.
NE vs NB, NV, NH and northeast
- NE: Nebraska, on any address.
- NB: New Brunswick, Canada. Not a US state.
- NV: Nevada, the code people most often type by mistake. See the Nevada abbreviation.
- KS: Kansas, the neighbor to the south. See the Kansas abbreviation.
- NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND: New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and North Dakota.
- NE as a direction: "1200 NE 4th Street" means the northeast part of a city. Here NE sits next to the street name, not after the city.
A Seattle street address can contain NE and still be in Washington, so always read the code that follows the city.
Nebraska state abbreviation examples
- "Mail the form to 15 Prairie Lane, Lincoln, NE 68508."
- "Her grandparents farmed outside Grand Island, Nebraska."
- "Old map label: Neb. Terr."
- "The warehouse is at 88 NE Industrial Drive, Omaha, NE 68110."
The last example uses NE twice: first as a direction in the street, then as the state code.
Quick facts behind the state name
The name Nebraska comes from a Native word for the flat, wide Platte River that runs across the state. Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867, and its capital is Lincoln.
It is also the only state with a one-house legislature, called the Unicameral, so you will see that word in state news.
Questions people ask
Is NE the abbreviation for Nebraska?
Yes. NE is the official two-letter postal code for Nebraska. The traditional short forms are Neb. and Nebr.
Why is Nebraska NE and not NB?
NB was used for a short time, but it was changed to NE so Nebraska would not share letters with New Brunswick in Canada.
What is the traditional Nebraska state abbreviation?
Neb. is the most common traditional form. Nebr. is a longer version found in some government and library records.
Does NE always mean Nebraska?
No. NE also means northeast in street addresses and on maps. After a city name on an address, it means Nebraska.