Nebraska Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Nebraska.
The average salary in Nebraska is $100,627 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Omaha). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $342,570 median; 25 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 92, the average median equates to $109,377 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Nebraska has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Nebraska job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Nebraska
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 140 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($342,570)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 410 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($200,860)
Dentist
Healthcare · 440 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($187,400)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 2,970 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($145,500)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 1,350 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($141,830)
Financial Manager
Finance · 3,120 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($140,390)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 720 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($134,130)
Nurse Practitioner
Healthcare · 1,380 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($133,760)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 1,020 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($132,020)
Lawyer
Legal · 2,010 jobs in state · top metro: Omaha ($131,730)
Cities in Nebraska
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Nebraska is $100,627 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $342,570 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Nebraska, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($342,570), Family Medicine Physician ($200,860), Dentist ($187,400), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($145,500), Pharmacist ($141,830). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/nebraska.
25 of the 63 BLS-tracked occupations in Nebraska have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Omaha, NE leads Nebraska with an average median salary of $100,627 across 63 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Nebraska's tracked metros is 92 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $100,627 translates to $109,377 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Nebraska, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
63 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.