Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Grand Island, NE

Each occupation's median wage in Grand Island, NE compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Grand Island, NE pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Grand Island, NE run 13.3% below the national average (2024), so a Grand Island, NE salary is worth about 1.15× 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 Grand Island, NE

OccupationMedian, Grand Island, NE · vs. national

1Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$109,480
Master's degree
$47,800 – $133,390+70.2%
2Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$50,320
No formal educational credential
$30,660 – $50,320+40.4%
3Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,700 – $66,290+26.7%
4Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$55,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,690 – $63,090+23.4%
5Parts Salespersons$46,960
No formal educational credential
$29,990 – $60,690+21.6%
6Insurance Sales Agents$74,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,710 – $122,080+19.6%
7Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,450 – $80,870+15.9%
8Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,130 – $56,450+15.2%
9Machinists$67,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,720 – $67,430+14.8%
10Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,640 – $75,050+12.5%
11Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$55,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,200 – $75,000+12.4%
12Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,570 – $57,350+12.2%
13Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,370
No formal educational credential
$31,440 – $60,340+10.3%
14Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$50,730
No formal educational credential
$36,750 – $51,410+9.3%
15Library Technicians$48,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,540 – $59,730+8.7%
16Financial Examiners$101,690
Bachelor's degree
$60,530 – $204,460+8.0%
17Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,600 – $58,840+8.0%
18Highway Maintenance Workers$53,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,970 – $78,900+7.1%
19Agricultural Equipment Operators$44,310
No formal educational credential
$37,130 – $61,300+6.2%
20Correctional Officers and Jailers$62,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,250 – $74,300+6.0%
21Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$53,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,360 – $77,100+5.2%
22Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$62,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,070 – $79,730+4.8%
23Physician Assistants$141,590
Master's degree
$103,410 – $168,400+4.2%
24Instructional Coordinators$80,690
Master's degree
$54,860 – $94,310+4.2%
25Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$60,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,150 – $94,810+3.7%
26Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$64,940
Bachelor's degree
$40,280 – $87,170+3.6%
27Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$109,460
Master's degree
$98,230 – $135,410+3.4%
28Procurement Clerks$52,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,900 – $66,360+3.3%
29First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$50,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,420 – $69,200+2.9%
30Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,110 – $41,130+2.6%
31Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,240 – $62,000+2.4%
32Pharmacy Technicians$46,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,850 – $50,530+2.3%
33Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$59,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,010 – $70,530+2.3%
34Security Guards$38,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,910 – $52,000+2.2%
35Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$46,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,940 – $57,790+1.8%
36Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$65,480
Bachelor's degree
$47,940 – $83,370+1.7%
37Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$60,320
Master's degree
$28,080 – $93,240+1.6%
38Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$37,330
No formal educational credential
$29,260 – $49,180+1.3%
39Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$35,310
No formal educational credential
$30,600 – $50,000+1.2%
40Medical Records Specialists$51,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,010 – $79,470+1.0%
41Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$36,020
No formal educational credential
$30,120 – $41,620+1.0%
42Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$64,530
Bachelor's degree
$40,550 – $82,140+0.9%
43Customer Service Representatives$45,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $57,940+0.7%
44Light Truck Drivers$44,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,080 – $94,630+0.1%
45Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$66,050
Bachelor's degree
$44,480 – $78,420-0.3%
46First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,130 – $76,790-0.8%
47New Accounts Clerks$47,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,290 – $63,820-0.9%
48Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$64,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,570 – $97,210-1.3%
49Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$49,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $76,720-1.5%
50Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$64,080
Bachelor's degree
$41,130 – $78,990-1.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianGrand Island, NE	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$109,480	$47,800 – $133,390	+70.2%
2	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$50,320	$30,660 – $50,320	+40.4%
3	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,110	$40,700 – $66,290	+26.7%
4	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,120	$40,690 – $63,090	+23.4%
5	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,960	$29,990 – $60,690	+21.6%
6	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,500	$39,710 – $122,080	+19.6%
7	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,450	$44,450 – $80,870	+15.9%
8	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,450	$50,130 – $56,450	+15.2%
9	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,430	$48,720 – $67,430	+14.8%
10	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,040	$46,640 – $75,050	+12.5%
11	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,740	$35,200 – $75,000	+12.4%
12	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,510	$38,570 – $57,350	+12.2%
13	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,370	$31,440 – $60,340	+10.3%
14	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$50,730	$36,750 – $51,410	+9.3%
15	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,470	$28,540 – $59,730	+8.7%
16	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$101,690	$60,530 – $204,460	+8.0%
17	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,960	$39,600 – $58,840	+8.0%
18	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,830	$43,970 – $78,900	+7.1%
19	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$44,310	$37,130 – $61,300	+6.2%
20	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,470	$50,250 – $74,300	+6.0%
21	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,250	$35,360 – $77,100	+5.2%
22	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,920	$48,070 – $79,730	+4.8%
23	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$141,590	$103,410 – $168,400	+4.2%
24	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$80,690	$54,860 – $94,310	+4.2%
25	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,810	$43,150 – $94,810	+3.7%
26	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$64,940	$40,280 – $87,170	+3.6%
27	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$109,460	$98,230 – $135,410	+3.4%
28	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,270	$42,900 – $66,360	+3.3%
29	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,530	$36,420 – $69,200	+2.9%
30	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,730	$30,110 – $41,130	+2.6%
31	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,740	$42,240 – $62,000	+2.4%
32	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,820	$36,850 – $50,530	+2.3%
33	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,620	$46,010 – $70,530	+2.3%
34	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,850	$31,910 – $52,000	+2.2%
35	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,090	$32,940 – $57,790	+1.8%
36	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$65,480	$47,940 – $83,370	+1.7%
37	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$60,320	$28,080 – $93,240	+1.6%
38	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$37,330	$29,260 – $49,180	+1.3%
39	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,310	$30,600 – $50,000	+1.2%
40	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,650	$38,010 – $79,470	+1.0%
41	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$36,020	$30,120 – $41,620	+1.0%
42	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$64,530	$40,550 – $82,140	+0.9%
43	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,070	$31,140 – $57,940	+0.7%
44	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,920	$29,080 – $94,630	+0.1%
45	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$66,050	$44,480 – $78,420	-0.3%
46	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,360	$38,130 – $76,790	-0.8%
47	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,260	$39,290 – $63,820	-0.9%
48	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,690	$40,570 – $97,210	-1.3%
49	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,590	$37,180 – $76,720	-1.5%
50	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,080	$41,130 – $78,990	-1.6%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Grand Island, NE

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