Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lincoln, NE

Each occupation's median wage in Lincoln, 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 Lincoln, NE pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$81,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,950 – $81,790+39.5%
2Skincare Specialists$61,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,010 – $124,860+35.8%
3Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$131,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,730 – $162,290+35.3%
4Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,340 – $64,800+35.1%
5Psychiatric Technicians$59,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,770 – $61,650+32.0%
6Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$61,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,590 – $62,660+29.0%
7Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$76,480
Master's degree
$41,650 – $113,740+28.9%
8Loan Officers$97,770
Bachelor's degree
$50,120 – $145,990+27.5%
9Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$45,280
No formal educational credential
$33,970 – $62,040+27.0%
10Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$98,800
Master's degree
$57,120 – $123,620+25.7%
11Tool and Die Makers$80,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,100 – $83,140+24.9%
12Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,780 – $64,890+24.7%
13Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$93,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,660 – $95,030+22.9%
14Physicians, All Other$326,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$217,140 – $456,210+22.8%
15Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$128,640
Master's degree
$100,410 – $128,640+21.5%
16Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$81,810
Master's degree
$48,720 – $120,920+19.8%
17Dentists, General$204,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,280 – $273,210+19.6%
18Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$120,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,180 – $208,000+19.3%
19Helpers--Production Workers$46,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,080 – $46,460+18.8%
20Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$57,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,630 – $72,200+18.6%
21Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$98,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,410 – $167,530+16.9%
22Coaches and Scouts$55,240
Bachelor's degree
$30,790 – $165,660+16.7%
23Parts Salespersons$44,960
No formal educational credential
$28,370 – $62,820+16.4%
24Bus Drivers, School$55,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,550 – $56,850+16.4%
25Animal Scientists$79,410
Bachelor's degree
$49,770 – $118,980+15.2%
26Crane and Tower Operators$77,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,380 – $100,660+13.8%
27Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$57,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,480 – $75,800+13.5%
28Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$67,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,700 – $75,420+12.7%
29Correctional Officers and Jailers$66,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,800 – $77,720+12.3%
30Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$54,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,090 – $66,170+12.2%
31Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$54,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,090 – $63,100+11.1%
32First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$117,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$101,840 – $154,480+11.1%
33First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$86,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,030 – $96,880+11.0%
34Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,600 – $57,800+10.9%
35Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$53,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,360 – $76,300+10.8%
36Real Estate Sales Agents$57,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,070 – $88,910+9.8%
37Environmental Engineers$117,640
Bachelor's degree
$67,440 – $165,590+9.8%
38Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,000 – $63,950+9.3%
39Chiropractors$85,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,100 – $248,940+7.6%
40Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,340 – $61,770+7.5%
41Marriage and Family Therapists$71,760
Master's degree
$45,450 – $113,620+7.2%
42Pharmacists$149,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,390 – $163,360+6.2%
43Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$81,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,880 – $127,230+5.6%
44Food Batchmakers$44,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $55,290+5.5%
45Paramedics$63,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,350 – $75,020+5.4%
46Education Teachers, Postsecondary$79,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,020 – $124,910+5.3%
47Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$65,480
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $89,430+5.1%
48Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,180 – $80,980+5.0%
49Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$51,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,240 – $79,440+4.9%
50Postal Service Mail Carriers$63,380
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+4.7%

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	vs. national
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,790	$47,950 – $81,790	+39.5%
2	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,560	$46,010 – $124,860	+35.8%
3	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,180	$62,730 – $162,290	+35.3%
4	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,820	$40,340 – $64,800	+35.1%
5	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,570	$46,770 – $61,650	+32.0%
6	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,570	$38,590 – $62,660	+29.0%
7	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$76,480	$41,650 – $113,740	+28.9%
8	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$97,770	$50,120 – $145,990	+27.5%
9	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$45,280	$33,970 – $62,040	+27.0%
10	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$98,800	$57,120 – $123,620	+25.7%
11	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,030	$47,100 – $83,140	+24.9%
12	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$38,780 – $64,890	+24.7%
13	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,680	$62,660 – $95,030	+22.9%
14	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$326,620	$217,140 – $456,210	+22.8%
15	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$128,640	$100,410 – $128,640	+21.5%
16	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$81,810	$48,720 – $120,920	+19.8%
17	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$204,530	$86,280 – $273,210	+19.6%
18	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$120,000	$61,180 – $208,000	+19.3%
19	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,430	$28,080 – $46,460	+18.8%
20	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,590	$39,630 – $72,200	+18.6%
21	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,950	$59,410 – $167,530	+16.9%
22	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$55,240	$30,790 – $165,660	+16.7%
23	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$44,960	$28,370 – $62,820	+16.4%
24	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,760	$39,550 – $56,850	+16.4%
25	Animal ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,410	$49,770 – $118,980	+15.2%
26	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,500	$49,380 – $100,660	+13.8%
27	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,120	$42,480 – $75,800	+13.5%
28	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,650	$59,700 – $75,420	+12.7%
29	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,210	$61,800 – $77,720	+12.3%
30	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,150	$39,090 – $66,170	+12.2%
31	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,420	$39,090 – $63,100	+11.1%
32	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,860	$101,840 – $154,480	+11.1%
33	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,530	$63,030 – $96,880	+11.0%
34	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,340	$40,600 – $57,800	+10.9%
35	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,950	$41,360 – $76,300	+10.8%
36	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,990	$47,070 – $88,910	+9.8%
37	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,640	$67,440 – $165,590	+9.8%
38	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$37,000 – $63,950	+9.3%
39	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$85,220	$45,100 – $248,940	+7.6%
40	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,690	$37,340 – $61,770	+7.5%
41	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$71,760	$45,450 – $113,620	+7.2%
42	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$149,590	$123,390 – $163,360	+6.2%
43	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$81,960	$59,880 – $127,230	+5.6%
44	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,600	$33,330 – $55,290	+5.5%
45	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,900	$47,350 – $75,020	+5.4%
46	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,340	$51,020 – $124,910	+5.3%
47	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$65,480	$44,950 – $89,430	+5.1%
48	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,720	$50,180 – $80,980	+5.0%
49	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,650	$38,240 – $79,440	+4.9%
50	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$63,380	$42,390 – $81,040	+4.7%

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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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lincoln, NE

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