State salary profile · Nebraska

Nebraska Salaries

Nebraska wages where BEA prices sit below the national average (RPP 90.1), from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area.

$188,317
Mean of top 50 medians
661
Occupations
6
Local wage areas
53,610
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Nebraska is $188,317.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 661 occupations in Nebraska; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Cardiologists, earns $646,300, versus $28,080 for Library Assistants, Clerical at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 3 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area.

Nebraska · employment ≠ wage

In Nebraska, Fast Food and Counter Workers lead by published employment (30,060 jobs, #1 of 639) but rank #634 of 639 on median wage ($29,000), while Cardiologists top the wage list at $646,300 (#1 of 639) with 170 jobs (#473 of 639). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

30,060
Fast Food and Counter Work... employment #1
$646,300
Cardiologists wage #1
#473
Employment rank of wage leader
#634
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Nebraska's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Fast Food and Counter Workers lead Nebraska by employment; Cardiologists lead on median wage at $646,300.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Nebraska, the picture in one line

Nebraska ranks #32 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Cardiologists at $646,300. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area.

#32
of 54 states by published mean wage
$646,300
top-paying: Cardiologists
41st
percentile among all states
Grand Island, NE
local OEWS: Grand Island, NE and Lincoln, NE

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Grand Island, NE.

Where Nebraska already employs the upper wage tier

Software Developers and Financial Managers lead Nebraska's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Software Developers 7,260 jobs · $110,900
  2. 2. Financial Managers 5,630 jobs · $140,360
  3. 3. Computer and Information Systems Managers 5,070 jobs · $135,780
  4. 4. Lawyers 3,490 jobs · $109,170
  5. 5. Sales Managers 3,000 jobs · $126,990
  6. 6. Managers, All Other 2,640 jobs · $116,430
  7. 7. Chief Executives 2,510 jobs · $214,680
  8. 8. Pharmacists 2,450 jobs · $139,330
  9. 9. Nurse Practitioners 2,340 jobs · $132,130
  10. 10. Marketing Managers 1,910 jobs · $110,570
  11. 11. Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary 1,860 jobs · $110,580
  12. 12. Human Resources Managers 1,660 jobs · $129,460
  13. 13. Architectural and Engineering Managers 1,510 jobs · $141,020
  14. 14. Computer Network Architects 1,350 jobs · $116,420
  15. 15. Physician Assistants 1,330 jobs · $133,040
  16. 16. Physicians, All Other 1,170 jobs · $290,470
  17. 17. General Internal Medicine Physicians 900 jobs · $221,360
  18. 18. Family Medicine Physicians 830 jobs · $228,590
  19. 19. Dentists, General 790 jobs · $179,750
  20. 20. Database Architects 610 jobs · $134,320

Local BLS wage areas inside Nebraska

Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area.

Grand Island, NE Lincoln, NE Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area Omaha, NE-IA South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Nebraska moved from $47,990 in May 2024 to $48,980 in May 2025 (+2.1%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Nebraska sits -0.7 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Nebraska

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers publishes $47,580 here versus $38,300 nationally (+24.2%; 8,340statewide jobs). Next is Computer and Information Systems Managers at $135,780 locally versus $175,140 nationally (-22.5%).

  1. Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$47,580 in Nebraska sits 24.2% above the national Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers median of $38,300 (8,340 published local jobs).
  2. Computer and Information Systems Managers$135,780 in Nebraska sits 22.5% below the national Computer and Information Systems Managers median of $175,140 (5,070 published local jobs).
  3. Slaughterers and Meat Packers$48,910 in Nebraska sits 21.9% above the national Slaughterers and Meat Packers median of $40,130 (5,480 published local jobs).
  4. General and Operations Managers$85,090 in Nebraska sits 19.6% below the national General and Operations Managers median of $105,770 (24,030 published local jobs).

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Nebraska; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Nebraska OEWS table has a published median for 661 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 53,610; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $188,317 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Cardiologists pays a Nebraska median of $646,300, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $507,770, followed by Emergency Medicine Physicians at $371,880. At the bottom of the published range, Library Assistants, Clerical has a median of $28,080, making the displayed endpoint ratio 23.0×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 3 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Nebraska, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Nebraska's lower BEA price level (RPP 90.1) lifts the national-price reading of the published mean to about $69,256. Even then, compare Cardiologists and Library Assistants, Clerical inside a local OEWS area before treating either median as an offer. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$188,317

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$646,300

Cardiologists

Where Nebraska ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Grand Island, NE and Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area

$62,400 Bottom 41% higher than 41% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 (this entry) 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$62,400 · 41st percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Nebraska ranks #32 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($62,400). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $62,400 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $69,256. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Nebraska (RPP 90.1, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Nebraska

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 661 distinct occupations in Nebraska. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Nebraska, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Nebraska jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Software Developers $110,900
2 Financial Managers $140,360
3 Computer and Information Systems Managers $135,780
4 Lawyers $109,170
5 Sales Managers $126,990
6 Managers, All Other $116,430
7 Chief Executives $214,680
8 Pharmacists $139,330
9 Nurse Practitioners $132,130
10 Marketing Managers $110,570
11 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $110,580
12 Human Resources Managers $129,460
13 Architectural and Engineering Managers $141,020
14 Computer Network Architects $116,420
15 Physician Assistants $133,040
16 Physicians, All Other $290,470
17 General Internal Medicine Physicians $221,360
18 Family Medicine Physicians $228,590
19 Dentists, General $179,750
20 Database Architects $134,320
21 Natural Sciences Managers $120,620
22 Purchasing Managers $124,010
23 Nurse Anesthetists $246,730
24 Emergency Medicine Physicians $371,880
25 Optometrists $125,040
26 Pediatricians, General $175,990
27 Environmental Engineers $120,620
28 Anesthesiologists $334,210
29 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $507,770
30 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers $111,460
31 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $342,570
32 Surgeons, All Other $341,410
33 Psychiatrists $135,180
34 Cardiologists $646,300
35 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $208,180
36 Compensation and Benefits Managers $121,630
37 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $117,690
38 Aerospace Engineers $135,670
39 Law Teachers, Postsecondary $127,690
40 Physicians, Pathologists $229,140
41 Economics Teachers, Postsecondary $130,980
42 Neurologists $269,270
43 Computer Hardware Engineers $134,950
44 Air Traffic Controllers $111,710
45 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $131,650
46 Psychologists, All Other $131,640
47 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers $117,060
48 Dermatologists $359,580
49 Dentists, All Other Specialists $224,990
50 Nurse Midwives $138,880

Lowest Paying Jobs in Nebraska

Occupation Median Salary
Library Assistants, Clerical $28,080
Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers $28,080
Physical Therapist Aides $28,080
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $28,260
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $28,450
Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,000
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $29,100
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners $29,670
Dishwashers $29,740
Upholsterers $29,960
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $30,110
Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other $30,120
Funeral Attendants $30,170
Bartenders $30,180
Cashiers $30,250
Cooks, Fast Food $30,430
Cooks, Short Order $30,530
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $30,690
Childcare Workers $30,740
Telemarketers $31,200
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials $31,390
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $31,440
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks $31,490
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $31,540
Tour and Travel Guides $31,580

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Nebraska. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in Nebraska

Grand Island, NE Lincoln, NE Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area Omaha, NE-IA South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Nebraska. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($62,400 here) and reported employment (1,024,370 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Nebraska pages

Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area.

Grand Island, NE

Local OEWS wage area

Lincoln, NE

Local OEWS wage area

Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Omaha, NE-IA

Local OEWS wage area

South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Nebraska

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Nebraska

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Cardiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Nebraska? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $188,317/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Nebraska? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $62,400/year for Nebraska in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 32nd among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Nebraska? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Nebraska is Cardiologists with a median salary of $646,300/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $507,770/year.
What jobs pay the least in Nebraska? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Nebraska ranking is Library Assistants, Clerical at $28,080/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Nebraska? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 3 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Nebraska. Published local OEWS areas include Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Omaha, NE-IA, South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Nebraska? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 661 distinct occupations in Nebraska. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 53,610 jobs in covered establishments.

Price-level sources for Nebraska

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BEA Regional Price Parities → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Nebraska wage data in a real decision

  • Nebraska prices sit below the national BEA average (RPP 90.1), so the published $62,400 mean is closer to $69,256 nationally; still re-check Cardiologists inside Grand Island, NE and Lincoln, NE before relocating. Compare states
  • Inside Nebraska, re-check Cardiologists in Grand Island, NE, Lincoln, NE, Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area, Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area or Omaha, NE-IA before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Grand Island, NE
  • Open Cardiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; Nebraska's statewide median of $646,300 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Cardiologists
  • The published Nebraska range runs from Library Assistants, Clerical at $28,080 to Cardiologists at $646,300; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.