Grand Island, NE
Across all occupations in the Grand Island, NE metropolitan area, the median wage is $49,410 a year ($23.75 an hour) and the mean $56,870, May 2025. That median is −3% against the US median of $50,980 and +1% against Nebraska's $48,980. BLS counts 39,520 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is family medicine physicians; the largest is fast food and counter workers.
All occupations: Grand Island, NE vs Nebraska and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Grand Island, NE | Hourly | $14.19 | $17.71 | $23.75 | $30.50 | $41.52 | $27.34 | 39,520 |
| Annual | $29,520 | $36,830 | $49,410 | $63,430 | $86,360 | $56,870 | ||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $14.48 | $17.97 | $23.55 | $35.50 | $49.57 | $30.00 | 1,024,370 |
| Annual | $30,120 | $37,370 | $48,980 | $73,830 | $103,110 | $62,400 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
189 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profile: Nebraska. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Grand Island, NE
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physicians | $177,730 | $85.45 | 40 |
| 2 | Chief Executives | $173,690 | $83.51 | 70 |
| 3 | Physician Assistants | $141,590 | $68.07 | 40 |
| 4 | Financial Managers in Nebraska | $137,100 | $65.91 | 150 |
| 5 | Sales Managers in Nebraska | $134,750 | $64.78 | 60 |
| 6 | Pharmacists | $134,520 | $64.67 | 70 |
| 7 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $130,350 | $62.67 | 30 |
| 8 | Nurse Practitioners | $125,690 | $60.43 | 80 |
| 9 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Nebraska | $123,040 | $59.15 | 50 |
| 10 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $109,480 | $52.63 | 90 |
| 11 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $109,460 | * | 80 |
| 12 | Industrial Production Managers | $107,650 | $51.76 | 150 |
| 13 | Managers, All Other in Nebraska | $107,610 | $51.74 | 70 |
| 14 | Medical and Health Services Managers | $103,220 | $49.62 | 150 |
| 15 | Lawyers in Nebraska | $103,150 | $49.59 | 50 |
| 16 | Veterinarians | $103,050 | $49.55 | 30 |
| 17 | Financial Examiners | $101,690 | $48.89 | 30 |
| 18 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $100,340 | $48.24 | 80 |
| 19 | Facilities Managers | $99,030 | $47.61 | 50 |
| 20 | Construction Managers | $98,880 | $47.54 | 100 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Grand Island, NE
Most concentrated occupations in Grand Island, NE
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 12.36 | 120 | 3.01 | $49,110 |
| 2 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | 4.76 | 460 | 11.64 | $50,320 |
| 3 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 4.30 | 410 | 10.47 | $48,510 |
| 4 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 3.10 | 470 | 11.92 | $49,740 |
| 5 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 2.52 | 110 | 2.87 | $64,690 |
| 6 | Childcare Workers | 2.46 | 320 | 8.20 | $30,000 |
| 6 | Highway Maintenance Workers | 2.46 | 100 | 2.45 | $53,830 |
| 8 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers in Nebraska | 2.41 | 410 | 10.45 | $66,820 |
| 9 | Industrial Production Managers | 2.33 | 150 | 3.70 | $107,650 |
| 10 | Tellers | 2.25 | 190 | 4.78 | $37,440 |
Occupation groups in Grand Island, NE
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $98,100 | $107,910 | 2,310 | 58.57 | 0.82 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $81,140 | $95,810 | 2,420 | 61.22 | 0.97 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $77,650 | $80,590 | 340 | 8.53 | 0.51 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $76,610 | $82,600 | 340 | 8.59 | 0.25 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $76,010 | $80,320 | 190 | 4.79 | 0.51 |
| Legal | $72,910 | $87,600 | 100 | 2.60 | 0.31 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $66,010 | $73,720 | 1,540 | 38.88 | 0.57 |
| Protective Service | $63,130 | $66,350 | 600 | 15.14 | 0.62 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $58,100 | $59,160 | 2,160 | 54.73 | 1.40 |
| Community and Social Service | $53,670 | $64,000 | 520 | 13.12 | 0.76 |
| Production | $52,670 | $54,820 | 5,780 | 146.21 | 2.65 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $50,610 | $54,090 | 2,150 | 54.34 | 0.93 |
| Construction and Extraction | $48,870 | $53,150 | 1,980 | 50.17 | 1.21 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $47,890 | $54,000 | 250 | 6.34 | 0.48 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $46,920 | $48,530 | 4,360 | 110.43 | 1.26 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $45,900 | $47,720 | 140 | 3.43 | 1.23 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $44,620 | $46,370 | 4,200 | 106.20 | 0.93 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,660 | $41,920 | 1,380 | 34.96 | 0.69 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,680 | $38,640 | 1,010 | 25.68 | 0.88 |
| Sales and Related | $35,450 | $46,970 | 3,480 | 88.01 | 1.02 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $30,980 | $34,480 | 3,520 | 88.98 | 1.01 |
| Personal Care and Service | $30,120 | $34,310 | 750 | 19.08 | 0.91 |
Every occupation in Nebraska, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 189 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Grand Island, NE estimates (area 24260).
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Grand Island, NE area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.