Average salary in Nebraska

1 min read by Charlie Barton Last updated October 4, 2024

Learn about the average salaries and highest paying counties in Nebraska

The cost of living in Nebraska is relatively low compared to other states, making it an affordable place to live. However, salaries can vary based on location, occupation, and industry. The state's highest paying industries include management, legal services, healthcare, and computer systems design.  

Overall, Nebraska offers a lower cost of living and a competitive job market, making it an attractive destination for those seeking affordable living with decent earning potential. But which cities and counties offer the highest average salaries? 

Average salary in Nebraska by city 

City living is often more expensive than living in more rural areas, but it’s also where the money is. Nebraska has a relatively small number of cities with a population of more than 50,000 but, from these, the difference in average household income is only around $20,000.  

Average earnings by city—or any other geographical metric—is just one way of calculating wealth, and certainly shouldn’t be the only way you look at your own earning potential in a given place. It doesn’t take into account the type of jobs that people do to earn above or below this average bracket, and omits any consideration for the number of people living in a household. However, it’s certainly one way of establishing which place offers good earning opportunities.  

The US Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey has calculated the average earnings for the 10 largest cities in Nebraska, which you can find ranked below. 

CityAverage household income
Omaha $66,198
Lincoln $62,031
Bellevue $71,543
Grand Island $51,507
Kearney $61,402
Fremont $57,656
Hastings $49,798
North Platte $49,284
Norfolk $54,479
Columbus $54,193

Average salary in Nebraska by county 

Reviewing average salaries in Nebraska by city is not necessarily an adequate metric for average salaries across the state, since it’s entirely urban focused. A good idea is to weigh these figures up against the average salary in Nebraska by county, as this will take areas outside the main cities into account and offer a broader idea of salary ranges.  

The same survey from the US Census Bureau gives further insight this way, with the average household income calculated for each county.  

CountyAverage Household Income
Adams County $65,743
Antelope County $58,906
Arthur County $57,917
Banner County $72,857
Blaine County $40,833
Boone County $60,563
Box Butte County $49,974
Boyd County $53,429
Brown County $52,123
Buffalo County $66,251
Burt County $56,284
Butler County $72,115
Cass County $77,377
Cedar County $62,430
Chase County $55,357
Cherry County $56,373
Cheyenne County $56,806
Clay County $54,660
Colfax County $54,506
Cuming County $70,863
Custer County $58,226
Dakota County $49,609
Dawes County $47,045
Dawson County $57,276
Deuel County $56,964
Dixon County $56,582
Dodge County $63,193
Douglas County $81,224
Dundy County $51,250
Fillmore County $57,353
Franklin County $54,583
Frontier County $58,933
Furnas County $50,556
Gage County $58,514
Garden County $54,063
Garfield County $54,000
Gosper County $62,000
Grant County $46,875
Greeley County $53,214
Hall County $64,947
Hamilton County $68,693
Harlan County $50,625
Hayes County $60,938
Hitchcock County $50,263
Holt County $55,849
Hooker County $42,500
Howard County $56,406
Jefferson County $62,280
Johnson County $57,143
Kearney County $64,946
Keith County $56,845
Keya Paha County $46,250
Kimball County $52,500
Knox County $50,677
Lancaster County $69,940
Lincoln County $59,722
Logan County $56,875
Loup County $46,250
Madison County $57,032
McPherson County $55,500
Merrick County $62,152
Morrill County $53,125
Nance County $54,167
Nemaha County $54,097
Nuckolls County $52,321
Otoe County $71,561
Pawnee County $56,250
Perkins County $55,375
Phelps County $63,375
Pierce County $61,250
Platte County $62,341
Polk County $68,864
Red Willow County $52,031
Richardson County $48,225
Rock County $52,917
Saline County $60,957
Sarpy County $86,082
Saunders County $76,485
Scotts Bluff County $56,588
Seward County $73,982
Sheridan County $47,901
Sherman County $57,579
Sioux County $46,769
Stanton County $70,583
Thayer County $56,111
Thomas County $51,696
Thurston County $56,223
Valley County $58,015
Washington County $83,491
Wayne County $47,054
Webster County $56,786
Wheeler County $51,875
York County $58,125

Highest paying jobs in Nebraska 

There’s another weighty factor that will influence how much you earn if you live in Nebraska: your job type. Average salaries for various sectors and job roles can vary massively across the state, so it’s absolutely something to consider when looking at salaries by location.  

Occupation AreaAnnual Salary
Podiatrists $207,770
Chief Executives $193,010
General Internal Medicine Physicians $189,870
Nurse Anesthetists $187,820
Aerospace Engineers $163,360
Postsecondary Law Teachers $155,270
General Dentists $128,190
Architectural and Engineering Managers $127,000
Computer and Information Systems Managers $126,800
Pharmacists $125,840
Optometrists $123,360
Financial Managers $121,490
Nuclear Engineers $120,650
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $104,900
Physician Assistants $103,830
Nurse Practitioners $103,340
Natural Sciences Managers $103,280
Database Architects $103,110
Actuaries $102,600
Computer Hardware Engineers $102,280

Frequently asked questions about salaries in Nebraska

What is the average salary in Nebraska by age?
Alongside location and occupation, salaries in Nebraska are also dependent on age, since more senior workers will be paid more. Then, when they retire, their income will dip again as they will rely on pensions and other forms of set income. Check out the complete guide to retirement in Nebraska here.

The Census Bureau data finds that householders under 25 years old have a median household income of $42,423; householders aged 25 to 44 years old have a median income of $70,050; those aged 45 to 64 years old have a median income of $76,486; and those 65 and older have a median income of $49,217.

What is a ‘good’ salary in Nebraska?
The median income in Nebraska is $63,229. Defining what is considered a good salary depends on a variety of factors, such as an individual's occupation, experience, education level, and location. In general, a good salary is one that allows a person or family to comfortably cover their basic needs, pay their bills, and save for the future.

What is the average salary in Nebraska by hour?
If Americans work an average of 1,801 hours per year—at 37.5 hours a week—then the average hourly salary in Nebraska is $22.16.

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Writer

Charlie Barton

Charlie Barton is a writer at Unbiased. He has been writing about personal finance and investing since 2017, with extensive knowledge of platforms and products. Charlie has a first-class degree from the London School of Economics.