Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Nebraska
Waiters and Waitresses in Nebraska have a median of $33,770 a year, below the national $35,230 (−4%); the state ranks 26th of 51 states by median. That is 31% less than the median across all occupations in Nebraska ($48,980). Among neighbouring states, Colorado and Kansas pay more (up to $44,860 in Colorado) and Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming and Iowa pay less (down to $21,000 in Iowa). Nebraska employs 13,310 waiters and waitresses, 13.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 37th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.89 is close to the national share.
Nebraska vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $13.50 | $13.63 | $16.24 | $22.46 | $28.57 | $19.03 | 13,310 | 13.00 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $28,080 | $28,340 | $33,770 | $46,710 | $59,420 | $39,590 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 26th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 37th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.89
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.00
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Nebraska's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Nebraska
4 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Nebraska publish a row for waiters and waitresses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | $17.35 | $36,080 | $28,080 | $60,980 | 2,520 | 13.80 | 0.95 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $16.48 | $34,290 | $28,080 | $59,870 | 7,620 | 15.29 | 1.05 |
| Grand Island, NE | $14.35 | $29,840 | $28,080 | $58,120 | 570 | 14.40 | 0.99 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $12.71 | $26,430 | $15,080 | $49,790 | 1,030 | 13.77 | 0.94 |
| Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $13.76 | $28,610 | $28,080 | $56,150 | 860 | 9.00 | 0.62 |
| South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $13.70 | $28,500 | $28,080 | $56,210 | 2,030 | 13.10 | 0.90 |
| Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $13.65 | $28,400 | $28,080 | $47,480 | 460 | 11.81 | 0.81 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Nebraska wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Nebraska estimates.
- 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.