Salaries · United States · Nebraska
Salaries in Nebraska 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Nebraska is $48,980 a year ($23.55 an hour), 4% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 29th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Nebraska earn a median of $57,968 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Nebraska: the key figures
| Figure | Nebraska | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $48,980 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $62,400 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $30,120 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $103,110 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 1,024,370 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $57,968 ± $362 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $76,475 ± $633 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 90.1 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $15.00 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $48,980, a single person keeps about $40,186 a year ($3,349 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Nebraska income tax. With prices 10% below the US average, $48,980 here buys what $54,400 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $48,980 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,698 |
| Social Security | -$3,037 |
| Medicare | -$710 |
| Nebraska income tax | -$1,349 |
| Take-home a year | $40,186 |
What drives pay in Nebraska
Nebraska's economy rests on farming, food processing, freight and insurance. Farms produced 4.9% of the state's GDP in 2025, seven times the US share of 0.7%, food manufacturing 2.9% (US 1.2%), rail transportation 2.1% (US 0.2%) and trucking 1.8% (US 0.8%), according to BEA. Insurance carriers produced 15.2% of GDP, five times the US share. The state's insurance commissioner says insurers choose to be domiciled in Nebraska for its regulatory environment, and that Nebraska-based insurers control about nine percent of US insurance assets.
Much of that output does not turn into local paychecks. Insurance carriers pay only 3.9% of the state's employee compensation and farms 0.9%, against their 15.2% and 4.9% of GDP. Food processing works the other way, paying 3.8% of compensation. Professional and technical services are 4.1% of GDP, about half the US share.
The result is a narrow pay range. Fast food and counter workers are the most common job, 30,060 of them on a median of $29,000, and the 90th percentile is $103,110, against $128,560 for the US. The all-jobs median is $48,980, 4% below the US and 29th of the 50 states and DC, though prices are about 10% below the US average.
Real GDP rose 22.9% from 2019 to 2025, well ahead of the US at 15.6%, and about half of that gain came from finance and insurance, whose real output rose 90.5%. At the bottom of the scale, the state minimum wage has been $15.00 since January 2026, after the May 2025 survey behind these figures, and is due to rise to $15.26 in 2027.
The highest-paid jobs in Nebraska
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,170 | $290,470 |
| Chief Executives | 2,510 | $214,680 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,510 | $141,020 |
| Financial Managers | 5,630 | $140,360 |
| Pharmacists | 2,450 | $139,330 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 5,070 | $135,780 |
| Physician Assistants | 1,330 | $133,040 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,340 | $132,130 |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,660 | $129,460 |
| Sales Managers | 3,000 | $126,990 |
| Managers, All Other | 2,640 | $116,430 |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,350 | $116,420 |
| Software Developers | 7,260 | $110,900 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 1,860 | $110,580 |
| Marketing Managers | 1,910 | $110,570 |
The most common jobs in Nebraska
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 30,060 | $29,000 | $13.94 |
| Registered Nurses | 24,720 | $84,730 | $40.74 |
| General and Operations Managers | 24,030 | $85,090 | $40.91 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 23,160 | $58,390 | $28.07 |
| Retail Salespersons | 22,780 | $31,870 | $15.32 |
| Cashiers | 20,650 | $30,250 | $14.54 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 17,980 | $35,920 | $17.27 |
| Nursing Assistants | 16,450 | $40,000 | $19.23 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 16,240 | $46,760 | $22.48 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 15,340 | $43,940 | $21.13 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 13,870 | $42,910 | $20.63 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,660 | $36,150 | $17.38 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 13,310 | $33,770 | $16.24 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 12,860 | $35,900 | $17.26 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 11,190 | $35,160 | yearly pay only |
Pay for careers we cover, in Nebraska
Official BLS medians for Nebraska; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 430 | $246,730 |
| Dentist | 790 | $179,750 |
| Pharmacist | 2,450 | $139,330 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 130 | $135,670 |
| Physician Assistant | 1,330 | $133,040 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 2,340 | $132,130 |
| Elevator Technician | 140 | $117,690 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 70 | $111,710 |
| Software Engineer | 7,260 | $110,900 |
| Lawyer | 3,490 | $109,170 |
| Commercial Pilot | 290 | $104,780 |
| Actuary | 270 | $102,790 |
| Data Scientist | 1,980 | $98,230 |
| Dental Hygienist | 1,280 | $92,580 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 1,210 | $92,550 |
| Financial Analyst | $85,320 | |
| Registered Nurse | 24,720 | $84,730 |
| Project Manager | 3,190 | $80,150 |
| Compliance Officer | 3,470 | $73,920 |
| Accountant | 10,340 | $72,080 |
| UX Designer | 720 | $65,520 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 410 | $64,020 |
| Paralegal | 1,630 | $63,250 |
| Plumber | 4,110 | $60,970 |
| Electrician | 6,440 | $60,820 |
| HVAC Technician | 3,020 | $59,850 |
| Welder | 4,200 | $52,220 |
Nebraska and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $48,980 | 90.1 | $54,400 |
| Colorado | $59,800 | 103.1 | $58,000 |
| Iowa | $48,540 | 87.8 | $55,300 |
| Kansas | $48,010 | 90.1 | $53,300 |
| Missouri | $47,800 | 90.8 | $52,600 |
| South Dakota | $47,080 | 88.6 | $53,100 |
| Wyoming | $50,270 | 92.7 | $54,200 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Nebraska, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Nebraska Department of Economic Development: 'Insurtech on the Silicon Prairie Highlights Nebraska's Under-the-Radar Industry Success Story', 13 Oct 2026
- Nebraska Department of Labor: State of Nebraska Minimum Wage, accessed 31 Oct 2026 (table effective 18 Jul 2026)
Related
- Salary comparison by city: what a salary is worth in another US city
- Salaries in the United States