High paying production jobs in Nebraska with no experience

The best paid production occupations in Nebraska that require neither a degree nor prior experience in a related job. This is the narrowest cut on the site, so it is also the shortest list: where a field has only two or three such occupations, there is no page at all rather than a page pretending otherwise.

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 production jobs in Nebraska

OccupationMedian, Nebraska · Employed

1Power Plant Operators$98,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,850 – $125,570360
2Tool and Die Makers$69,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,680 – $83,140360
3Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,620 – $76,250740
4Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$59,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,630 – $76,6501,020
5Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,210 – $66,540650
6Machinists$55,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,770 – $88,1301,810
7Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,620 – $61,480510
8Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$52,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,850 – $66,9004,200
9Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$51,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $66,1103,350
10Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $60,2801,250
11Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$49,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,950 – $63,070830
12Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,980 – $66,290740
13Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$49,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,340 – $49,190490
14Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $61,100940
15Slaughterers and Meat Packers$48,910
No formal educational credential
$40,590 – $55,3105,480
16Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$48,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,710 – $68,720580
17Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,080 – $64,800750
18Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $60,8501,320
19Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,710 – $61,7801,000
20Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,690 – $60,540530
21Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,000 – $63,950400
22Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$47,580
No formal educational credential
$40,850 – $55,2308,340
23Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,990 – $62,6501,050
24Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,600 – $52,560810
25Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,450 – $59,5604,410
26Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$45,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,120 – $59,210400
27Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,230 – $58,3607,240
28Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$45,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,910 – $57,390670
29Helpers--Production Workers$45,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,080 – $54,470700
30Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$43,410
No formal educational credential
$37,770 – $58,330440
31Production Workers, All Other$42,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,260 – $64,290510
32Printing Press Operators$42,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $59,1902,140
33Food Batchmakers$41,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,840 – $54,7201,270
34Prepress Technicians and Workers$40,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,930 – $58,830400
35Butchers and Meat Cutters$37,630
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $49,8401,380
36Bakers$35,280
No formal educational credential
$28,970 – $47,9301,030
37Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,790
No formal educational credential
$29,910 – $43,9901,060

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	Employed
1	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,210	$65,850 – $125,570	360
2	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,150	$49,680 – $83,140	360
3	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,220	$44,620 – $76,250	740
4	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,750	$41,630 – $76,650	1,020
5	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,280	$48,210 – $66,540	650
6	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,860	$39,770 – $88,130	1,810
7	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,360	$39,620 – $61,480	510
8	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,220	$43,850 – $66,900	4,200
9	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,270	$39,130 – $66,110	3,350
10	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,960	$38,120 – $60,280	1,250
11	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,360	$37,950 – $63,070	830
12	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,340	$38,980 – $66,290	740
13	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,190	$39,340 – $49,190	490
14	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$38,620 – $61,100	940
15	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$48,910	$40,590 – $55,310	5,480
16	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,820	$39,710 – $68,720	580
17	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,760	$39,080 – $64,800	750
18	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,690	$36,160 – $60,850	1,320
19	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,500	$31,710 – $61,780	1,000
20	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,300	$38,690 – $60,540	530
21	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,010	$37,000 – $63,950	400
22	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$47,580	$40,850 – $55,230	8,340
23	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,080	$35,990 – $62,650	1,050
24	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,810	$35,600 – $52,560	810
25	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,220	$35,450 – $59,560	4,410
26	Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,690	$36,120 – $59,210	400
27	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,470	$36,230 – $58,360	7,240
28	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,420	$34,910 – $57,390	670
29	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,020	$28,080 – $54,470	700
30	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$43,410	$37,770 – $58,330	440
31	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,980	$31,260 – $64,290	510
32	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,070	$36,670 – $59,190	2,140
33	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,210	$31,840 – $54,720	1,270
34	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,930	$40,930 – $58,830	400
35	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$37,630	$28,600 – $49,840	1,380
36	BakersNo formal educational credential	$35,280	$28,970 – $47,930	1,030
37	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,790	$29,910 – $43,990	1,060

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Nebraska. 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.

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.

High paying production jobs in Nebraska with no experience

More for Nebraska

Metro areas in Nebraska

By field in Nebraska

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state with no experience