Pay data
Average Salary in Nebraska (2026)
The average salary in Nebraska is $62,400 a year and the median is $48,980, 4% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $54,360: 29th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 16th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $62,400US $69,770
- Median salary
- $48,980US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $23.55BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 90.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Nebraska?
About the 76th percentile
You earn more than about 76% of workers in Nebraska.
At Nebraska prices, $75,000 buys what $83,240 buys at the national average, about the 76th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Nebraska workers earn
| Percentile | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,120 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,370 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $48,980 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $73,830 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $103,110 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $62,400 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Nebraska
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Nebraska sits at 90.1 overall, with housing at 75.2. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $90,100 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items10% below US90.1
- Housing (rents)25% below US75.2
- Goods6% below US94.1
- Utilities24% below US75.6
- Other services7% below US93
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 90.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 75.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 75.6 |
| Other services | 93 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Nebraska by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $104,510 | -17% | 75,700 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $87,030 | -20% | 31,220 |
| Legal | $84,620 | -17% | 5,950 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $82,080 | -5% | 68,630 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $81,040 | -19% | 13,200 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $71,850 | -13% | 58,830 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $66,950 | -19% | 9,410 |
| Protective Service | $60,590 | +21% | 17,320 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $60,190 | -1% | 61,960 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $58,980 | -1% | 45,150 |
| Construction and Extraction | $53,800 | -10% | 50,780 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $51,020 | -19% | 10,790 |
| Community and Social Service | $50,940 | -13% | 14,960 |
| Production | $48,000 | +2% | 73,420 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,850 | -3% | 117,500 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $45,560 | +24% | 2,960 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $44,550 | 0% | 91,480 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,760 | +1% | 41,110 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $37,100 | -2% | 29,800 |
| Sales | $36,810 | -4% | 88,210 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $31,860 | -9% | 90,900 |
| Personal Care and Service | $31,840 | -13% | 25,060 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Nebraska's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Fast Food and Counter Worker30,060
- 2Registered Nurse24,720
- 3General and Operations Manager24,030
- 4Truck Driver23,160
- 5Retail Salesperson22,780
- 6Cashier20,650
- 7Stocker and Order Filler17,980
- 8Nursing Assistant16,450
- 9Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive16,240
- 10Customer Service Representative15,340
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Allergist and Immunologist$290,470
- 2Family Medicine Physician$228,590
- 3General Internal Medicine Physician$221,360
- 4Chief Executive$214,680
- 5Dentist$179,750
- 6Architectural and Engineering Manager$141,020
- 7Financial Manager$140,360
- 8Pharmacist$139,330
- 9IT Manager$135,780
- 10Database Architect$134,320
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Slaughterer and Meat Packer11.9x
- 2Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter and Trimmer8.7x
- 3Rail Car Repairer8.1x
- 4Conveyor Operator and Tender7.8x
- 5Farm Equipment Mechanic and Service Technician7.1x
- 6Agricultural Equipment Operator5.8x
- 7New Accounts Clerk4.8x
- 8Childcare Worker2.8x
- 9Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender2.7x
- 10Highway Maintenance Worker2.5x
Cities
Average salary by city in Nebraska
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | $49,800 | $62,980 | 91.6 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $49,660 | $64,900 | 91.9 |
| Grand Island, NE | $49,410 | $56,870 | 86.7 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Nebraska. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Nebraska: FAQ
What is the average salary in Nebraska?
The average (mean) annual wage in Nebraska is $62,400 and the median is $48,980, 4% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,024,370 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Nebraska?
$30.00 an hour on average and $23.55 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Nebraska?
Above $48,980 out-earns half of Nebraska workers; the top 25% start at $73,830 and the top 10% at $103,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Nebraska run 10% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $110,980 buys nationally.
Is Nebraska expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Nebraska at 90.1 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 75.2, goods 94.1, utilities 75.6 and other services 93.0. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $90,100 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Nebraska?
Allergist and Immunologist ($290,470), Family Medicine Physician ($228,590), General Internal Medicine Physician ($221,360), Chief Executive ($214,680), Dentist ($179,750) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Nebraska (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Nebraska?
Fast Food and Counter Worker (30,060), Registered Nurse (24,720), General and Operations Manager (24,030), Truck Driver (23,160), Retail Salesperson (22,780) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).