Established by the state legislature in 1973 as a comprehensive community college offering vocational/technical, liberal arts, college transfer, and continuing education, Northeast Community College is a modern, two-year college located at the northeast edge of Norfolk, Nebraska, and serves residents of a 20-county area in northeast Nebraska. Northeast is the only community college in the state with one-and two-year vocational, liberal arts, and adult education programs all on one main campus.

From the merger of two separate and distinct institutions—Northeastern Nebraska College and Northeast Nebraska Technical College—Northeast Community College has become a unique college with its own identity.