Healthcare plays an important role in Nebraska’s economy. Hospitals alone employ more than 55,000 workers, creating a steady need for registered nurses (RNs) in both metropolitan areas and smaller communities. The RN salary in Nebraska is competitive, especially when paired with the state's relatively affordable cost of living and strong demand for healthcare professionals.
Before accepting a job offer or planning your next move, it helps to understand how salaries compare across different regions and employers. This guide provides a detailed look at compensation trends across Nebraska, including average salaries and various factors influencing your paycheck.
What’s the Average RN Salary in Nebraska?
Based on our current market-based data, registered nurses in Nebraska bring in an average salary of $88,534 per year, or $42.56 per hour. Keep in mind that registered nurse wages can vary considerably. You may earn more or less than this benchmark depending on your clinical specialization, experience level, qualifications, and other factors.
How these numbers are determined: Our wage estimates for the RN salary in Nebraska are based on two inputs: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data and Credenza's own job postings feed, which features current job ads for nurses in the area. Estimates are updated monthly. Learn more about our methodology.
Average Wage by City
We analyzed data from our job board to show you what RNs are earning on average in some of Nebraska's top metro areas. Check out the latest RN jobs on Credenza to find the best-paying roles near you.
Your salary. Your city.
What Do RNs Make in Nebraska?
Median pay for RNs in Nebraska's top-paying areas, from Credenza's salary model. Updated monthly.
- Kearney Annual salary: $92,144 Hourly salary: $44.30 / hr See jobs
- Crawford Annual salary: $91,874 Hourly salary: $44.17 / hr See jobs
- Lincoln Annual salary: $91,250 Hourly salary: $43.87 / hr See jobs
- Battle Creek Annual salary: $89,170 Hourly salary: $42.87 / hr See jobs
- Omaha Annual salary: $88,130 Hourly salary: $42.37 / hr See jobs
Our own salary estimates · Updated monthly · Free to access
Annual figures are annualized equivalents (40 hrs/week × 52 weeks) of median hourly
pay.
RN Salary in Nebraska vs. Other States
Numbers become more meaningful when you have something to compare them to. While RNs in Nebraska may earn (in general) less than the national average, wages are relative to state-specific factors. For example, a starting RN salary in Nebraska is generally significantly lower than the national average, but this may be balanced out by lower than average costs for housing and other necessities. In addition, individual nurse incomes in Nebraska vary greatly based on factors like education, experience, and workplace type.
Here's a look at how Nebraska's RN salaries compare with nearby states:
- Average RN salary in South Dakota
- Average RN salary in Iowa
- Average RN salary in Missouri
- Average RN salary in Kansas
Benefits of Being a Nebraska State RN
Home to more than 2 million residents, Nebraska depends on a strong healthcare workforce to meet the needs of communities across the state. As a result, registered nurses can find opportunities in a variety of settings, from major hospitals and specialty clinics to private practices and rural healthcare facilities.
Here are some of the benefits of working as an RN in Nebraska:
- Top-ranking healthcare systems. Nebraska is home to respected healthcare systems such as Nebraska Medicine, Bryan Health, and Children's Nebraska. These organizations provide opportunities for nurses to work in advanced clinical environments across a wide range of specialties.
- Respected schools. Nebraska is home to leading educational institutions such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Creighton University. These institutions provide pathways for nurses to advance their education, strengthen their clinical skills, and pursue leadership roles.
- Nationwide opportunities. Through the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), Nebraska nurses can work in over 40 participating states, opening the door to travel nursing, remote jobs, and relocation opportunities.
- Lower cost of living. Nebraska's cost of living is lower than in many parts of the country, allowing nurses to stretch their paychecks further.
- Opportunities in rural healthcare. Nebraska has invested heavily in developing its rural healthcare workforce through programs such as the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP). These initiatives offer financial incentives for nurses ready to serve rural communities.
Healthcare Facilities in Nebraska
Nebraska’s healthcare network offers RNs countless opportunities to grow their careers, with more than 90 major hospitals and five Magnet-designated facilities across the state.
Ready to take the next step in your nursing career? Explore available positions below:
Think nursing is only about hospital shifts? Think again. Nebraska healthcare professionals have opportunities to take their expertise into people’s homes, educational institutions, clinical research facilities, med-tech companies, and other growing areas of healthcare.
Professional Support for Nebraska RNs
Nursing comes with plenty of questions. Where do I apply for my license? And what rules do I need to follow to keep it? The Nebraska Board of Nursing oversees nursing practice in the state, including RN licensure applications, license renewals, continuing competency requirements, scope-of-practice rules, and professional standards.
For more information on everything nursing the state, check out the following resources:
- Nebraska Center for Nursing
- Nebraska Health Care Association
- Nebraska Nurses Association
- Nebraska Nurse Practice Act
- Nebraska School Nurses Association
How to Increase Your Salary in Nebraska
Your years at the bedside are valuable, but they’re not the only factor that can shape your RN salary. From advancing your education to finding profitable side hustles, there are many ways to grow your income.
Want to earn the highest RN salary in Nebraska? Here are some ways to grow your salary:
- Find a side job. Nursing skills are needed far beyond the hospital floor. From home infusions to medical writing, you can choose side work that matches your interests and schedule. Part-time and per diem positions also allow you to earn extra money without giving up the flexibility that many nurses value.
- Earn certifications. Professional credentials like Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) are a mark of excellence in your specialty, helping you stand out to employers. These credentials can strengthen your nursing resume and help you pursue higher-paying specialty positions.
- Go back to school. A higher level of education can create more opportunities for career advancement and higher pay. Additionally, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher degree might help you move into leadership roles such as nurse supervisor and clinical educator.
- Consider travel nursing. Take advantage of multistate licenses and explore travel nursing opportunities that often come with a higher pay, relocation expenses, and completion bonuses. You can also explore strike nursing roles that often pay even higher.
- Start your own business. Your RN license can open the door to many entrepreneurial opportunities. From providing private duty nursing care and home infusion services to starting a health coaching or NCLEX preparation practice, there are many ways to serve your community as a nurse entrepreneur.
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Why Trust Us?
How much you make as a registered nurse is important. That’s why it’s crucial to get numbers reporting the RN salary in Nebraska and other regions right. We have the data and the experience to do just that. Here’s why you can rely on us.
Methodology: How We Get the Data
Data Sources. Wage estimates combine two inputs. The first is the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which is the federal benchmark for what healthcare workers actually earn. It's the most reliable measure available, but it's published annually, lags the market, and doesn't report on thousands of smaller market-and-discipline combinations. The second is Credenza's own job postings feed, a daily export of active listings from verified healthcare employers. Postings are current and granular, but they advertise pay rather than report it, as advertised rates typically run a few percentage points off actual earnings, by an amount that varies market to market.
How Estimates Are Calculated. Rather than averaging listings, our model treats each market's wage as an unknown value that both sources give partial evidence about. It learns the gap between advertised and earned pay for each market, anchors markets with sparse data to their state's wage level, and carries estimates forward year over year at a rate learned from historical data. Every figure is published with an interval reflecting how much evidence stands behind it.
Data Cleaning. We exclude extreme outlier salary ranges, which are often artifacts of data collection. These are rare, but in thin markets a single outlier listing can shift an average by whole percentage points.
Coverage and Limitations. Our estimates cover roughly 1,600 market-and-discipline combinations the federal survey never reports on, including rural areas and smaller metros. All figures are statistical estimates rather than measured wages, and shifts in which employers are posting can affect the advertised-versus-earned correction. These figures describe market conditions and aren't a substitute for a formal compensation study.
Who We Are
All our Career Advice articles, including the Nursing Salary pages, were prepared by the humans on the Credenza content team. Our team comprises subject matter experts — registered nurse writers — and an editorial staff who uphold a rigorous review process to ensure that our articles are both accurate and relevant to modern nurses. Our articles provide actionable steps to help you maximize your career potential, whether you’re seeking new employment opportunities or just looking for ways to gain greater job satisfaction.
About Credenza
Credenza is the clinician career destination, the single place to manage your career, unlock every opportunity, and ensure you’re always ready for what’s next. The clinical job market is moving fast. On Credenza, your profile unlocks every relevant match, specialty, and setting all in one place. Credenza — one profile, one platform, every opportunity.