Average salary in Nebraska
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.
City | Average 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.
County | Average 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 Area | Annual 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 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.