High paying entry level jobs in Lincoln, NE

These occupations in Lincoln, NE ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Lincoln, NE run 8.4% below the national average (2024), so a Lincoln, NE salary is worth about 1.09× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Lincoln, NE

OccupationMedian, Lincoln, NE · Employed

1Dentists, General$204,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,280 – $273,210160
2Pharmacists$149,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,390 – $163,360370
3Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$131,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,730 – $162,29090
4Physician Assistants$128,050
Master's degree
$94,050 – $161,990290
5Optometrists$126,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,160 – $193,88070
6Nurse Practitioners$124,440
Master's degree
$100,160 – $158,240320
7Environmental Engineers$117,640
Bachelor's degree
$67,440 – $165,59070
8Veterinarians$104,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,460 – $161,520130
9Business Teachers, Postsecondary$102,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,990 – $210,710230
10Software Developers$101,690
Bachelor's degree
$66,870 – $157,7801,530
11Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$101,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,140 – $127,630210
12Lawyers$101,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,970 – $175,470820
13Mechanical Engineers$100,360
Bachelor's degree
$67,970 – $170,470160
14Electrical Engineers$100,300
Bachelor's degree
$62,050 – $129,020260
15Physical Therapists$99,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,250 – $111,890390
16Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$98,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,410 – $167,530220
17Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$98,800
Master's degree
$57,120 – $123,620130
18Industrial Engineers$98,390
Bachelor's degree
$70,880 – $131,800350
19Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$98,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,710 – $166,940140
20Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$97,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,200 – $169,47070
21Occupational Therapists$96,320
Master's degree
$67,480 – $132,470250
22Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$96,300
Bachelor's degree
$65,020 – $159,590110
23Civil Engineers$95,560
Bachelor's degree
$64,240 – $135,760530
24Dental Hygienists$95,100
Associate's degree
$67,600 – $98,880280
25Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$92,710
Bachelor's degree
$60,640 – $127,850240
26Computer Programmers$92,510
Bachelor's degree
$59,960 – $129,940260
27Financial and Investment Analysts$91,750
Bachelor's degree
$62,210 – $154,490110
28Database Administrators$89,350
Bachelor's degree
$59,700 – $141,840100
29Data Scientists$87,890
Bachelor's degree
$61,800 – $127,880450
30Registered Nurses$87,530
Bachelor's degree
$64,280 – $104,0104,200
31Computer Systems Analysts$87,500
Bachelor's degree
$57,280 – $126,360650
32Network and Computer Systems Administrators$85,260
Bachelor's degree
$60,590 – $130,920340
33Chiropractors$85,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,100 – $248,940110
34Chemists$82,920
Bachelor's degree
$58,980 – $110,02080
35Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$82,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,920 – $168,95070
36Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$81,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,880 – $127,230170
37Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$81,810
Master's degree
$48,720 – $120,920160
38Web Developers$81,630
Bachelor's degree
$54,610 – $120,34070
39Respiratory Therapists$81,590
Associate's degree
$68,470 – $87,890150
40Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,500
Associate's degree
$62,810 – $102,370100
41Computer Occupations, All Other$80,370
Bachelor's degree
$47,160 – $123,170430
42English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$79,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,610 – $164,430240
43Animal Scientists$79,410
Bachelor's degree
$49,770 – $118,980100
44Budget Analysts$78,330
Bachelor's degree
$58,580 – $99,07070
45Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$76,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,740 – $133,39080
46Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$75,820
Bachelor's degree
$55,090 – $106,66090
47Logisticians$74,240
Bachelor's degree
$56,350 – $108,890160
48Economists$70,400
Master's degree
$44,310 – $102,00060
49Interior Designers$68,640
Bachelor's degree
$40,220 – $104,79090
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67,950
Associate's degree
$50,860 – $98,300230

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

#	Occupation	MedianLincoln, NE	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$204,530	$86,280 – $273,210	160
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$149,590	$123,390 – $163,360	370
3	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,180	$62,730 – $162,290	90
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,050	$94,050 – $161,990	290
5	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$126,510	$55,160 – $193,880	70
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,440	$100,160 – $158,240	320
7	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,640	$67,440 – $165,590	70
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$104,330	$78,460 – $161,520	130
9	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,190	$48,990 – $210,710	230
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,690	$66,870 – $157,780	1,530
11	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,350	$61,140 – $127,630	210
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$101,300	$65,970 – $175,470	820
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,360	$67,970 – $170,470	160
14	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,300	$62,050 – $129,020	260
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,780	$78,250 – $111,890	390
16	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,950	$59,410 – $167,530	220
17	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$98,800	$57,120 – $123,620	130
18	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,390	$70,880 – $131,800	350
19	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,160	$63,710 – $166,940	140
20	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,590	$65,200 – $169,470	70
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,320	$67,480 – $132,470	250
22	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$96,300	$65,020 – $159,590	110
23	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,560	$64,240 – $135,760	530
24	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$95,100	$67,600 – $98,880	280
25	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$92,710	$60,640 – $127,850	240
26	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$92,510	$59,960 – $129,940	260
27	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,750	$62,210 – $154,490	110
28	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$89,350	$59,700 – $141,840	100
29	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$87,890	$61,800 – $127,880	450
30	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$87,530	$64,280 – $104,010	4,200
31	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$87,500	$57,280 – $126,360	650
32	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$85,260	$60,590 – $130,920	340
33	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$85,220	$45,100 – $248,940	110
34	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$82,920	$58,980 – $110,020	80
35	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,430	$58,920 – $168,950	70
36	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$81,960	$59,880 – $127,230	170
37	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$81,810	$48,720 – $120,920	160
38	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$81,630	$54,610 – $120,340	70
39	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,590	$68,470 – $87,890	150
40	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,500	$62,810 – $102,370	100
41	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,370	$47,160 – $123,170	430
42	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,860	$45,610 – $164,430	240
43	Animal ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,410	$49,770 – $118,980	100
44	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,330	$58,580 – $99,070	70
45	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,850	$54,740 – $133,390	80
46	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,820	$55,090 – $106,660	90
47	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$74,240	$56,350 – $108,890	160
48	EconomistsMaster's degree	$70,400	$44,310 – $102,000	60
49	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$68,640	$40,220 – $104,790	90
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,950	$50,860 – $98,300	230

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lincoln, NE. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying entry level jobs in Lincoln, NE

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