Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Nebraska

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

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 · vs. national

1Skincare Specialists$58,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,300 – $122,250+28.9%
2Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$45,560
No formal educational credential
$34,780 – $62,930+27.5%
3Psychiatric Technicians$57,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,490 – $62,000+27.1%
4Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$47,580
No formal educational credential
$40,850 – $55,230+24.2%
5Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$47,040
Associate's degree
$31,620 – $73,620+23.3%
6Slaughterers and Meat Packers$48,910
No formal educational credential
$40,590 – $55,310+21.9%
7Cargo and Freight Agents$62,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,630 – $82,200+19.6%
8Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,210 – $66,540+19.5%
9Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$88,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,020 – $103,980+19.2%
10Parts Salespersons$45,100
No formal educational credential
$29,920 – $62,350+16.7%
11Helpers--Production Workers$45,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,080 – $54,470+15.2%
12Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$49,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,340 – $49,190+13.4%
13Agricultural Equipment Operators$46,670
No formal educational credential
$37,900 – $61,300+11.8%
14Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$39,530
No formal educational credential
$28,950 – $60,700+10.9%
15Emergency Medicine Physicians$371,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,290 – $511,340+10.8%
16Operations Research Analysts$98,300
Bachelor's degree
$60,550 – $149,760+10.5%
17Agricultural Inspectors$55,090
Bachelor's degree
$40,880 – $64,940+10.3%
18Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,620 – $61,480+9.7%
19Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,710 – $61,780+9.4%
20Physicians, All Other$290,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,370 – $456,210+9.2%
21Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$45,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,910 – $57,390+9.2%
22Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,000 – $63,950+9.2%
23Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $60,280+8.0%
24Tool and Die Makers$69,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,680 – $83,140+8.0%
25Correctional Officers and Jailers$63,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,630 – $78,270+7.5%
26Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$63,770
Master's degree
$42,400 – $109,610+7.4%
27Packers and Packagers, Hand$38,880
No formal educational credential
$28,870 – $49,500+7.2%
28Production Workers, All Other$42,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,260 – $64,290+7.2%
29Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$53,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,790 – $95,260+7.0%
30Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,450 – $59,560+6.9%
31Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,080 – $64,800+6.6%
32Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,910
No formal educational credential
$33,320 – $53,160+6.6%
33Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$49,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,450 – $61,290+5.8%
34Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$51,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $66,110+5.6%
35Dentists, General$179,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,040 – $265,940+5.1%
36Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $60,850+5.1%
37Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$45,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,120 – $59,210+5.0%
38Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$82,560
Bachelor's degree
$50,300 – $203,600+5.0%
39Education Teachers, Postsecondary$78,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,060 – $133,500+4.8%
40Security Guards$39,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,020 – $70,310+4.8%
41Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$110,580
Master's degree
$85,370 – $156,580+4.4%
42Sheet Metal Workers$64,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,140 – $94,980+4.3%
43Nurse Anesthetists$246,730
Master's degree
$188,560 – $331,660+4.3%
44Structural Iron and Steel Workers$65,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,160 – $79,040+4.3%
45Loan Officers$79,840
Bachelor's degree
$49,360 – $136,640+4.1%
46Medical Assistants$47,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,940 – $59,450+3.7%
47Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$37,160
No formal educational credential
$30,060 – $50,320+3.7%
48Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,690 – $60,540+3.7%
49First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$80,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,930 – $105,020+3.2%
50Firefighters$61,040
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,660 – $69,460+3.0%

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	vs. national
1	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,420	$44,300 – $122,250	+28.9%
2	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$45,560	$34,780 – $62,930	+27.5%
3	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,370	$39,490 – $62,000	+27.1%
4	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$47,580	$40,850 – $55,230	+24.2%
5	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$47,040	$31,620 – $73,620	+23.3%
6	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$48,910	$40,590 – $55,310	+21.9%
7	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,500	$40,630 – $82,200	+19.6%
8	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,280	$48,210 – $66,540	+19.5%
9	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,610	$67,020 – $103,980	+19.2%
10	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,100	$29,920 – $62,350	+16.7%
11	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,020	$28,080 – $54,470	+15.2%
12	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,190	$39,340 – $49,190	+13.4%
13	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,670	$37,900 – $61,300	+11.8%
14	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$39,530	$28,950 – $60,700	+10.9%
15	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$371,880	$71,290 – $511,340	+10.8%
16	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,300	$60,550 – $149,760	+10.5%
17	Agricultural InspectorsBachelor's degree	$55,090	$40,880 – $64,940	+10.3%
18	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,360	$39,620 – $61,480	+9.7%
19	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,500	$31,710 – $61,780	+9.4%
20	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$290,470	$80,370 – $456,210	+9.2%
21	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,420	$34,910 – $57,390	+9.2%
22	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,010	$37,000 – $63,950	+9.2%
23	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,960	$38,120 – $60,280	+8.0%
24	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,150	$49,680 – $83,140	+8.0%
25	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,380	$47,630 – $78,270	+7.5%
26	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$63,770	$42,400 – $109,610	+7.4%
27	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,880	$28,870 – $49,500	+7.2%
28	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,980	$31,260 – $64,290	+7.2%
29	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,880	$38,790 – $95,260	+7.0%
30	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,220	$35,450 – $59,560	+6.9%
31	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,760	$39,080 – $64,800	+6.6%
32	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,910	$33,320 – $53,160	+6.6%
33	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,090	$37,450 – $61,290	+5.8%
34	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,270	$39,130 – $66,110	+5.6%
35	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$179,750	$68,040 – $265,940	+5.1%
36	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,690	$36,160 – $60,850	+5.1%
37	Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,690	$36,120 – $59,210	+5.0%
38	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$82,560	$50,300 – $203,600	+5.0%
39	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,950	$50,060 – $133,500	+4.8%
40	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,840	$34,020 – $70,310	+4.8%
41	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$110,580	$85,370 – $156,580	+4.4%
42	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,440	$32,140 – $94,980	+4.3%
43	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$246,730	$188,560 – $331,660	+4.3%
44	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,470	$48,160 – $79,040	+4.3%
45	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$79,840	$49,360 – $136,640	+4.1%
46	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,370	$37,940 – $59,450	+3.7%
47	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$37,160	$30,060 – $50,320	+3.7%
48	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,300	$38,690 – $60,540	+3.7%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,490	$60,930 – $105,020	+3.2%
50	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,040	$46,660 – $69,460	+3.0%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Nebraska

More for Nebraska

Metro areas in Nebraska

By field in Nebraska

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state