Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Omaha, NE-IA

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

Cost of living: prices in Omaha, NE-IA run 8.1% below the national average (2024), so a Omaha, NE-IA 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 Omaha, NE-IA

OccupationMedian, Omaha, NE-IA · vs. national

1Manicurists and Pedicurists$58,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,080 – $100,610+63.9%
2Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$71,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,750 – $71,570+43.5%
3Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$49,810
No formal educational credential
$40,660 – $62,050+30.1%
4Skincare Specialists$58,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,590 – $82,340+28.9%
5Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$91,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,020 – $102,570+23.3%
6Public Safety Telecommunicators$64,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,100 – $81,250+22.4%
7Sheet Metal Workers$75,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,340 – $98,650+22.1%
8Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$97,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,440 – $120,910+21.4%
9Parts Salespersons$46,600
No formal educational credential
$30,790 – $65,890+20.6%
10Credit Counselors$62,520
Bachelor's degree
$47,380 – $95,280+19.7%
11Cargo and Freight Agents$62,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,600 – $78,500+19.1%
12Structural Iron and Steel Workers$74,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,620 – $79,230+18.6%
13Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,970
No formal educational credential
$35,000 – $61,240+17.4%
14First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$90,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,790 – $105,290+16.5%
15Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$44,440
Associate's degree
$31,620 – $63,330+16.5%
16Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$48,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $49,480+16.4%
17Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,210 – $62,480+15.7%
18Operations Research Analysts$102,900
Bachelor's degree
$60,550 – $154,590+15.7%
19Slaughterers and Meat Packers$46,390
No formal educational credential
$40,810 – $57,650+15.6%
20Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$121,950
Master's degree
$81,110 – $159,850+15.2%
21Nurse Anesthetists$271,680
Master's degree
$221,820 – $323,050+14.8%
22Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$55,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,200 – $77,050+14.1%
23Production Workers, All Other$45,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,260 – $64,870+13.2%
24Detectives and Criminal Investigators$105,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,900 – $159,640+12.3%
25Pipelayers$54,570
No formal educational credential
$38,980 – $77,680+11.4%
26Security Guards$42,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,740 – $76,110+11.4%
27Medical Records Specialists$56,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,750 – $75,300+11.1%
28Special Education Teachers, Middle School$73,870
Bachelor's degree
$47,380 – $88,720+10.6%
29Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$59,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,800 – $69,750+9.7%
30Dentists, General$187,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,580 – $263,450+9.6%
31Physicians, All Other$290,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,370 – $405,780+9.2%
32Correctional Officers and Jailers$63,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,010 – $78,270+7.5%
33Food Processing Workers, All Other$42,600
No formal educational credential
$42,320 – $47,230+7.4%
34Packers and Packagers, Hand$38,880
No formal educational credential
$29,410 – $45,460+7.2%
35Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$54,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,760 – $80,600+7.1%
36Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,940 – $60,850+7.1%
37Psychiatric Technicians$48,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,490 – $60,060+7.0%
38Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$101,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,390 – $118,230+7.0%
39Chief Executives$228,220
Bachelor's degree
$105,770 – $530,980+6.6%
40Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School$69,080
Bachelor's degree
$50,620 – $88,310+6.2%
41Bus Drivers, School$50,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,380 – $59,730+6.1%
42Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,220 – $70,890+6.1%
43Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$49,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,020 – $62,680+5.9%
44Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,550
No formal educational credential
$33,360 – $53,160+5.7%
45Highway Maintenance Workers$53,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,680 – $62,650+5.7%
46Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$80,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,240 – $95,210+5.3%
47Conveyor Operators and Tenders$44,650
No formal educational credential
$30,390 – $54,410+5.3%
48Medical Assistants$48,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,120 – $59,110+5.1%
49Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$82,560
Bachelor's degree
$49,330 – $180,800+5.0%
50Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$52,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,220 – $78,770+4.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianOmaha, NE-IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,620	$28,080 – $100,610	+63.9%
2	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,570	$42,750 – $71,570	+43.5%
3	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$49,810	$40,660 – $62,050	+30.1%
4	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,430	$40,590 – $82,340	+28.9%
5	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,660	$67,020 – $102,570	+23.3%
6	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,940	$49,100 – $81,250	+22.4%
7	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,440	$40,340 – $98,650	+22.1%
8	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,390	$63,440 – $120,910	+21.4%
9	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,600	$30,790 – $65,890	+20.6%
10	Credit CounselorsBachelor's degree	$62,520	$47,380 – $95,280	+19.7%
11	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,240	$43,600 – $78,500	+19.1%
12	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,430	$52,620 – $79,230	+18.6%
13	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,970	$35,000 – $61,240	+17.4%
14	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,850	$67,790 – $105,290	+16.5%
15	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$44,440	$31,620 – $63,330	+16.5%
16	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,420	$34,670 – $49,480	+16.4%
17	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,450	$48,210 – $62,480	+15.7%
18	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,900	$60,550 – $154,590	+15.7%
19	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$46,390	$40,810 – $57,650	+15.6%
20	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$121,950	$81,110 – $159,850	+15.2%
21	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$271,680	$221,820 – $323,050	+14.8%
22	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,590	$39,200 – $77,050	+14.1%
23	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,410	$31,260 – $64,870	+13.2%
24	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,310	$68,900 – $159,640	+12.3%
25	PipelayersNo formal educational credential	$54,570	$38,980 – $77,680	+11.4%
26	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,370	$35,740 – $76,110	+11.4%
27	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,830	$39,750 – $75,300	+11.1%
28	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,870	$47,380 – $88,720	+10.6%
29	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,450	$42,800 – $69,750	+9.7%
30	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$187,400	$58,580 – $263,450	+9.6%
31	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$290,460	$80,370 – $405,780	+9.2%
32	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,380	$50,010 – $78,270	+7.5%
33	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$42,600	$42,320 – $47,230	+7.4%
34	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,880	$29,410 – $45,460	+7.2%
35	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,230	$37,760 – $80,600	+7.1%
36	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,610	$34,940 – $60,850	+7.1%
37	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,310	$39,490 – $60,060	+7.0%
38	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,960	$60,390 – $118,230	+7.0%
39	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$228,220	$105,770 – $530,980	+6.6%
40	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$69,080	$50,620 – $88,310	+6.2%
41	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,850	$38,380 – $59,730	+6.1%
42	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,980	$40,220 – $70,890	+6.1%
43	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,130	$40,020 – $62,680	+5.9%
44	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,550	$33,360 – $53,160	+5.7%
45	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,100	$43,680 – $62,650	+5.7%
46	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,280	$63,240 – $95,210	+5.3%
47	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$44,650	$30,390 – $54,410	+5.3%
48	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,010	$39,120 – $59,110	+5.1%
49	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$82,560	$49,330 – $180,800	+5.0%
50	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,800	$40,220 – $78,770	+4.9%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Omaha, NE-IA

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