Average Salaries in Omaha, NE-IA
Explore salaries across 569 occupations in Omaha, NE-IA. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $70.6K, +7.4% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 569 occupations and 488,480 total jobs in Omaha, NE-IA.
How the metro compares
Omaha, NE-IA pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Omaha, NE-IA is a mid-sized metro labor market.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Omaha, NE-IA
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Omaha, NE-IA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $598.5K | 110 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $534.8K | 130 |
| Dermatologists | $393.2K | N/A |
| Anesthesiologists | $343.7K | 180 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $342.6K | 140 |
| Neurologists | $316.8K | 70 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $306.4K | 200 |
| Physicians, All Other | $290.5K | 870 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $271.7K | 230 |
| Chief Executives | $228.2K | 1,330 |
Largest occupations in Omaha, NE-IA
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 15,580 | $29.5K |
| Registered Nurses | 13,200 | $84.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 12,080 | $33.3K |
| General And Operations Managers | 11,430 | $90.6K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 10,490 | $36.8K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 10,210 | $58K |
| Cashiers | 9,110 | $31.3K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 8,810 | $44.3K |
| Nursing Assistants | 7,740 | $40K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 7,620 | $34.3K |
What Omaha, NE-IA specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Omaha, NE-IA than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Omaha, NE-IA
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 9.14 | $225K |
| Gambling And Sports Book Writers And Runners | 6.65 | $30.6K |
| Slaughterers And Meat Packers | 5.94 | $46.4K |
| Food And Tobacco Roasting, Baking, And Drying Machine Operators And Tenders | 5.77 | $43.4K |
| Statistical Assistants | 5.01 | $60.4K |
| Prepress Technicians And Workers | 4.83 | $40.9K |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | 4.63 | $37.3K |
| New Accounts Clerks | 4.51 | $48.2K |
| Cleaning, Washing, And Metal Pickling Equipment Operators And Tenders | 4.51 | $37.3K |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 4.33 | $42.6K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Omaha, NE-IA
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.