Average Salary in Nebraska
What workers in Nebraska earn: mean and median wages, monthly and hourly pay, the full wage distribution, household income and cost-of-living context. Wage data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Mean annual wage$62,400Rank #32 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$48,980Rank #29 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$30.00Median $23.55/hour
- Median monthly pay$4,082Mean $5,200/month
- Median household income$76,376ACS 2024 · rank #32
- Price level (RPP)90.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in Nebraska?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in Nebraska is $62,400, and the median annual wage is $48,980, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 10.6% below the national mean of $69,770; the median is 3.9% below the national median of $50,980. Nebraska ranks #32 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #29 for median wage.
The mean is $13,420 (27%) higher than the median. That gap is normal: a minority of very high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better guide to what a typical worker in Nebraska earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 1,024,370 wage and salary jobs in Nebraska (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in Nebraska
Gross pay before taxes. Monthly = annual ÷ 12, bi-weekly = annual ÷ 26, weekly = annual ÷ 52. Hourly figures are published by BLS.
| Pay period | Mean (average) | Median (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $62,400 | $48,980 |
| Monthly | $5,200 | $4,082 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $2,400 | $1,884 |
| Weekly | $1,200 | $942 |
| Hourly | $30.00 | $23.55 |
Estimate take-home pay on the Nebraska median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in Nebraska?
“Good” depends on your household and where in the state you live, but the wage distribution shows where a salary stands relative to other workers in Nebraska:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,120 | $2,510 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $37,370 | $3,114 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $48,980 | $4,082 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $73,830 | $6,152 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $103,110 | $8,592 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $48,980 beats more than half of Nebraska workers, about $73,830 puts you in the top quarter, and $103,110 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in Nebraska
| Measure (ACS 2024) | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,376 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $100,245 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $41,026 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $44,461 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $61,827 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $51,375 | $55,678 |
Household income adds up the income of everyone in a household — often two earners, plus Social Security, investment and self-employment income — so it is higher than any per-worker wage figure. Women working full-time year-round in Nebraska have median earnings equal to 83% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in Nebraska
Prices in Nebraska are about 9.9% below the national average (BEA regional price parity 90.1; housing 75.2). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $48,980 is worth $54,362 at national-average prices (rank #16), and the mean wage is worth $69,256 (rank #20). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
Nebraska taxes wage income, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures above by federal tax, FICA and state income tax.
Nebraska vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $62,400 | $48,980 | 90.1 | $54,362 |
| Colorado | $77,190 | $59,800 | 103.1 | $58,002 |
| Iowa | $59,830 | $48,540 | 87.8 | $55,285 |
| Kansas | $60,640 | $48,010 | 90.1 | $53,285 |
| Missouri | $62,160 | $47,800 | 90.8 | $52,643 |
| South Dakota | $57,610 | $47,080 | 88.6 | $53,138 |
| Wyoming | $61,560 | $50,270 | 92.7 | $54,229 |
Highest-paying occupations in Nebraska
Detailed occupations with at least 300 jobs in the state, ranked by mean annual wage. “$239,200+” means BLS reports only that the wage is at or above that level.
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $353,880 | $371,880 | 390 |
| Physicians, All Other | $291,430 | $290,470 | 1,170 |
| Chief Executives | $264,120 | $214,680 | 2,510 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $259,630 | $228,590 | 830 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $255,610 | $246,730 | 430 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $226,440 | $221,360 | 900 |
| Dentists, General | $186,420 | $179,750 | 790 |
| Financial Managers | $155,410 | $140,360 | 5,630 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $154,310 | $141,020 | 1,510 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $147,830 | $135,780 | 5,070 |
Most common jobs in Nebraska and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The largest occupation in Nebraska is fast food and counter workers, with 30,060 jobs and a median wage of $29,000. Many of the most common jobs pay well below the state median, which is one reason the overall median sits far below the mean.
Salaries for 54 common occupations in Nebraska
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Nebraska?
The average (mean) annual wage in Nebraska is $62,400, or $30.00 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $48,980 a year ($23.55 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in Nebraska?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in Nebraska works out to about $5,200 per month and the median wage to about $4,082 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in Nebraska?
Earning more than the median of $48,980 puts you above half of all workers in Nebraska. A salary of $73,830 or more is in the top 25%, and $103,110 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in Nebraska?
Median household income in Nebraska was $76,376 in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, compared with $81,604 nationally. Household income combines all earners and income sources in a home.
Does Nebraska have a state income tax on wages?
Yes. Nebraska taxes wage income, so state income tax is deducted from paychecks in addition to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.