Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Nebraska (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Nebraska was $48,980 in May 2025, below the U.S. median of $50,980.
- The best-paid job here that typically needs only a high school diploma or less was transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $97,380.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $92,580.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Nebraska. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Nebraska) and the education level BLS lists as typical for entry into each job (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35), here are the best-paying jobs in the state that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Nebraska had about 1,024,370 wage and salary jobs in the survey.
Top-paying jobs that need a high school diploma or less
Jobs with at least 1,000 positions in the state, ranked by median annual wage. The last column shows the national median for comparison.
| Occupation | Nebraska median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $97,380 | 1,420 | $107,230 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $92,150 | 1,490 | $95,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $82,980 | 1,870 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $77,850 | 4,610 | $79,860 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $75,830 | 3,160 | $78,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $75,570 | 6,020 | $79,920 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $74,620 | 3,490 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $72,200 | 6,040 | $74,450 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $66,210 | 1,860 | $76,590 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $65,150 | 1,490 | $65,510 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,110 | 2,880 | $64,520 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $64,030 | 8,550 | $72,080 |
Many of these jobs pay well because they come with long on-the-job training, licensing, physical risk or irregular hours. Several are skilled trades that train through paid apprenticeships.
Top-paying jobs that need a certificate or associate’s degree
Jobs where BLS lists a postsecondary certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as the typical entry credential:
| Occupation | Nebraska median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $92,580 | 1,280 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $72,860 | 1,670 | $80,110 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $65,450 | 1,490 | $76,220 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $63,250 | 1,630 | $62,890 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $62,660 | 4,580 | $64,400 |
| Firefighters | $61,040 | 1,070 | $59,280 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $60,830 | 6,380 | $61,860 |
| Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | $60,520 | 1,430 | $63,890 |
The most common jobs in Nebraska, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,000 | 30,060 |
| Registered Nurses | $84,730 | 24,720 |
| General and Operations Managers | $85,090 | 24,030 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,390 | 23,160 |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,870 | 22,780 |
| Cashiers | $30,250 | 20,650 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $35,920 | 17,980 |
| Nursing Assistants | $40,000 | 16,450 |
How to use these numbers
- Medians are midpoints. Half of workers in each job earn more and half earn less; new workers usually start well below the median.
- Overtime is not included. BLS wage estimates exclude overtime pay and shift differentials, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice (see the OEWS technical notes).
- Check the training path. “Typical entry education” is what most new workers have; licenses and apprenticeships may still be required.
Published October 28, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
One more data point from the same survey: the occupation most concentrated in Nebraska relative to the nation is slaughterers and meat packers, with a location quotient of 11.89. That means those jobs make up about 11.89 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 5,480 of them locally, at a median of $48,910. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Nebraska. Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk