Fastest declining jobs in Nebraska, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Nebraska, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Nebraska's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Nebraska run 9.9% below the national average (2024), so a Nebraska salary is worth about 1.11× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Nebraska.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Nebraska

OccupationMedian, Nebraska · Growth 2024–34

1Data Entry Keyers$39,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,080 – $49,230-24.0%
2Telemarketers$31,200
No formal educational credential
$28,080 – $60,920-20.1%
3New Accounts Clerks$47,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,060 – $65,400-16.1%
4Order Clerks$44,060
Some college, no degree
$35,880 – $59,810-15.6%
5Tellers$38,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,490 – $46,320-15.0%
6File Clerks$40,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,300 – $55,050-13.8%
7Gas Plant Operators$87,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,780 – $98,550-12.9%
8Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$54,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,320 – $74,360-12.2%
9Cooks, Fast Food$30,430
No formal educational credential
$28,080 – $36,910-11.3%
10Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$48,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,710 – $68,720-10.6%
11Bill and Account Collectors$43,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,440 – $56,290-9.2%
12Helpers--Production Workers$45,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,080 – $54,470-8.1%
13Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $61,100-7.5%
14Correctional Officers and Jailers$63,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,630 – $78,270-7.2%
15Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,620 – $76,250-6.9%
16Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,280-6.9%
17Credit Analysts$79,730
Bachelor's degree
$50,200 – $110,380-6.5%
18Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,210 – $66,540-6.0%
19Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $60,850-5.9%
20Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$49,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,950 – $63,070-5.7%
21Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$44,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,910 – $57,960-5.7%
22Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$45,560
No formal educational credential
$34,780 – $62,930-5.6%
23Computer Programmers$95,150
Bachelor's degree
$61,680 – $154,500-5.5%
24Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,990 – $62,650-5.3%
25Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,640 – $64,860-5.2%
26Loan Interviewers and Clerks$48,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,130 – $62,300-5.0%
27Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$48,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,850 – $62,390-4.5%
28Customer Service Representatives$43,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,210 – $59,400-4.4%
29Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$75,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,170 – $102,250-4.3%
30Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$39,530
No formal educational credential
$28,950 – $60,700-4.1%
31Library Technicians$36,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,730 – $51,060-4.1%
32Procurement Clerks$47,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,900 – $64,940-4.1%
33Office Clerks, General$37,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,430 – $51,930-4.0%
34Cooks, Short Order$30,530
No formal educational credential
$28,080 – $41,430-3.5%
35Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$47,130
Associate's degree
$37,380 – $60,010-3.4%
36Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$47,110
Some college, no degree
$33,060 – $62,460-3.4%
37Cashiers$30,250
No formal educational credential
$28,080 – $36,070-3.3%
38Childcare Workers$30,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,130 – $36,660-3.3%
39Slaughterers and Meat Packers$48,910
No formal educational credential
$40,590 – $55,310-3.0%
40Insurance Underwriters$75,120
Bachelor's degree
$49,150 – $105,760-2.9%
41Mechanical Drafters$61,170
Associate's degree
$43,150 – $92,160-2.8%
42Printing Press Operators$42,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $59,190-2.7%
43Packers and Packagers, Hand$38,880
No formal educational credential
$28,870 – $49,500-2.4%
44Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$56,160
Bachelor's degree
$43,570 – $97,570-2.3%
45Postal Service Clerks$59,490
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-2.2%
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,880
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-2.1%
47Food Preparation Workers$35,210
No formal educational credential
$28,740 – $42,560-2.1%
48Pharmacy Aides$31,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,080 – $38,590-1.7%
49Loan Officers$79,840
Bachelor's degree
$49,360 – $136,640-1.5%
50Maintenance Workers, Machinery$61,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,140 – $77,320-1.4%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianNebraska	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,600	$28,080 – $49,230	-24.0%
2	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$31,200	$28,080 – $60,920	-20.1%
3	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,140	$38,060 – $65,400	-16.1%
4	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$44,060	$35,880 – $59,810	-15.6%
5	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,140	$33,490 – $46,320	-15.0%
6	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,640	$30,300 – $55,050	-13.8%
7	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,790	$76,780 – $98,550	-12.9%
8	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,900	$43,320 – $74,360	-12.2%
9	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$30,430	$28,080 – $36,910	-11.3%
10	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,820	$39,710 – $68,720	-10.6%
11	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,210	$33,440 – $56,290	-9.2%
12	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,020	$28,080 – $54,470	-8.1%
13	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$38,620 – $61,100	-7.5%
14	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,380	$47,630 – $78,270	-7.2%
15	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,220	$44,620 – $76,250	-6.9%
16	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$45,530 – $75,280	-6.9%
17	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,730	$50,200 – $110,380	-6.5%
18	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,280	$48,210 – $66,540	-6.0%
19	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,690	$36,160 – $60,850	-5.9%
20	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,360	$37,950 – $63,070	-5.7%
21	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,110	$34,910 – $57,960	-5.7%
22	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$45,560	$34,780 – $62,930	-5.6%
23	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$95,150	$61,680 – $154,500	-5.5%
24	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,080	$35,990 – $62,650	-5.3%
25	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,800	$29,640 – $64,860	-5.2%
26	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,970	$40,130 – $62,300	-5.0%
27	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,490	$38,850 – $62,390	-4.5%
28	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,940	$34,210 – $59,400	-4.4%
29	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,830	$50,170 – $102,250	-4.3%
30	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$39,530	$28,950 – $60,700	-4.1%
31	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$36,920	$28,730 – $51,060	-4.1%
32	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,950	$37,900 – $64,940	-4.1%
33	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,820	$28,430 – $51,930	-4.0%
34	Cooks, Short OrderNo formal educational credential	$30,530	$28,080 – $41,430	-3.5%
35	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$47,130	$37,380 – $60,010	-3.4%
36	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$47,110	$33,060 – $62,460	-3.4%
37	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$30,250	$28,080 – $36,070	-3.3%
38	Childcare WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30,740	$28,130 – $36,660	-3.3%
39	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$48,910	$40,590 – $55,310	-3.0%
40	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$75,120	$49,150 – $105,760	-2.9%
41	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$61,170	$43,150 – $92,160	-2.8%
42	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,070	$36,670 – $59,190	-2.7%
43	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,880	$28,870 – $49,500	-2.4%
44	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$56,160	$43,570 – $97,570	-2.3%
45	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$42,600 – $75,030	-2.2%
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,880	$42,390 – $81,040	-2.1%
47	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,210	$28,740 – $42,560	-2.1%
48	Pharmacy AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,610	$28,080 – $38,590	-1.7%
49	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$79,840	$49,360 – $136,640	-1.5%
50	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,190	$44,140 – $77,320	-1.4%

More for Nebraska

Metro areas in Nebraska

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Nebraska

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Nebraska to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Nebraska, 2024–34

More for Nebraska

Metro areas in Nebraska

By field in Nebraska

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34