The Lincoln, NE metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Lincoln, NE (2026)
The average salary in the Lincoln metro area is $62,980 a year and the median is $49,800: 2% below the US median and 2% above Nebraska's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $54,380, 80th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $62,980US $69,770
- Median salary
- $49,800US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $23.94BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 91.6US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Lincoln earn
| Percentile | Lincoln area | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,050 | $30,120 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,290 | $37,370 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $49,800 | $48,980 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $76,340 | $73,830 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $103,050 | $103,110 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $62,980 | $62,400 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Lincoln
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Lincoln area at 91.6 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $91,580 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items91.6
- Housing (rents)84.2
- Goods94.1
- Utilities76.8
- Other services93
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 91.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 84.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 76.8 |
| Other services | 93 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Lincoln
Mean annual wage in the Lincoln area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Lincoln area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $86,740 | $101,420 | -14% |
| Software Developer | $105,980 | $148,100 | -28% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $67,440 | $72,650 | -7% |
| Accountant | $73,220 | $94,750 | -23% |
| Electrician | $63,520 | $71,490 | -11% |
| Truck Driver | $73,050 | $59,710 | +22% |
| Customer Service Representative | $43,120 | $46,590 | -7% |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,650 | $37,310 | -7% |
| Nursing Assistant | $41,500 | $42,700 | -3% |
| General and Operations Manager | $110,610 | $134,940 | -18% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $53,350 | $53,780 | -1% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $37,840 | $38,730 | -2% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Lincoln
BLS publishes estimates for 437 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Nurse Anesthetist$211,490
- 2Dentist$200,660
- 3Judge$180,070
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$151,960
- 5Financial Manager$149,340
- 6Pharmacist$142,250
- 7IT Manager$139,650
- 8Sales Manager$138,420
- 9Financial Advisor$133,100
- 10Human Resources Manager$132,480
Jobs Lincoln pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Coach and Scout$82,110 · +36%
- 2Psychiatric Technician$58,610 · +26%
- 3Farmworker and Laborer, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$47,200 · +25%
- 4Truck Driver$73,050 · +22%
- 5Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor$80,520 · +21%
- 6Mental Health Counselor$80,520 · +21%
- 7Librarian$83,990 · +15%
- 8Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$53,750 · +11%
- 9Loan Officer$96,470 · +10%
- 10Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender$57,550 · +9%
Compare
Other metro areas in Nebraska
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Lincoln: FAQ
What is the average salary in Lincoln?
Across all occupations in the Lincoln, NE metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $62,980 and the median is $49,800, 2% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 182,620 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Lincoln?
Above $49,800 out-earns half of workers in the Lincoln area; the top 25% start at $76,340 and the top 10% at $103,050. Prices run 8% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $91,580 here.
Is Lincoln expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Lincoln metro is 91.6 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 84.2, goods 94.1, utilities 76.8. At local prices the median wage is worth $54,380, 80th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Lincoln?
By mean annual wage: Nurse Anesthetist ($211,490), Dentist ($200,660), Judge ($180,070), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($151,960), Financial Manager ($149,340) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).