Fastest-growing jobs in Nebraska
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Nebraska. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Nebraska.
#50. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.6% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,750
--- Employment in 2022: 1,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $41,170
#49. Computer programmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +13.9% (160 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,310
--- Employment in 2022: 1,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $99,930
#48. Financial managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +14.3% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,580
--- Employment in 2022: 4,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $132,510
#47. Registered nurses
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.1% (3,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 22,870
--- Employment in 2022: 19,870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,100
#46. Childcare workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.2% (1,220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 9,270
--- Employment in 2022: 8,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,100
#45. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.4% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,830
--- Employment in 2022: 3,320
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,000
#44. Cooks, restaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.9% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,960
--- Employment in 2022: 4,280
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,230
#43. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.1% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,370
--- Employment in 2022: 1,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,780
#42. Industrial production managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.1% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,870
--- Employment in 2022: 1,610
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $99,380
#41. Machinists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.3% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,140
--- Employment in 2022: 1,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,810
#40. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.4% (290 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,060
--- Employment in 2022: 1,770
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $64,150
#39. Insurance underwriters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.7% (200 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,130
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $75,560
#38. Construction laborers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.4% (1,060 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,820
--- Employment in 2022: 5,760
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,640
#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.5% (1,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,410
--- Employment in 2022: 5,410
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,810
#36. Compliance officers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.7% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,870
--- Employment in 2022: 3,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,130
#35. Computer and information systems managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.2% (810 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,030
--- Employment in 2022: 4,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $132,660
#34. Self-enrichment teachers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.7% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,490
--- Employment in 2022: 2,080
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,850
#33. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,230
--- Employment in 2022: 1,860
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $24,840
#32. Correctional officers and jailers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +19.9% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,010
--- Employment in 2022: 2,510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $58,240
#31. Cost estimators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.1% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,490
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $66,560
#30. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.9% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,950
--- Employment in 2022: 1,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,510
#29. Human resources specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.7% (1,430 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,730
--- Employment in 2022: 6,300
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,830
#28. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.3% (950 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,020
--- Employment in 2022: 4,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,260
#27. Facilities managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.5% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,210
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,400
#26. Roofers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.5% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 1,190
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,940
#25. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.5% (940 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,780
--- Employment in 2022: 3,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $40,360
#24. Dental hygienists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.6% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,570
--- Employment in 2022: 1,260
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $82,020
#23. Office and administrative support workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.0% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,400
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,100
#22. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.4% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,320
--- Employment in 2022: 1,850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $24,750
#21. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.9% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,000
#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.4% (610 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,920
--- Employment in 2022: 2,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,660
#19. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,010
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $50,980
#18. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.8% (1,440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,620
--- Employment in 2022: 5,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,160
#17. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.0% (770 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,520
--- Employment in 2022: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,390
#16. Human resources managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.3% (360 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,630
--- Employment in 2022: 1,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $121,890
#15. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.4% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,220
--- Employment in 2022: 950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,310
#14. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.3% (370 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,590
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $47,130
#13. Buyers and purchasing agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.2% (900 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,530
--- Employment in 2022: 2,630
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $68,970
#12. Project management specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.9% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,900
--- Employment in 2022: 2,150
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $81,110
#11. Data scientists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.9% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,780
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $92,640
#10. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.9% (1,500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,680
--- Employment in 2022: 4,180
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,050
#9. Packers and packagers, hand
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.6% (1,350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,520
--- Employment in 2022: 3,170
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,260
#8. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +42.9% (1,500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,000
--- Employment in 2022: 3,500
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,740
#7. Printing press operators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.8% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,230
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,840
#6. Cooks, short order
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.1% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,960
#5. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +57.7% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,290
#4. Butchers and meat cutters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.3% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Employment in 2022: 800
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $34,630
#3. Logisticians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +70.8% (680 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $63,380
#2. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +73.3% (770 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,820
--- Employment in 2022: 1,050
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,470
#1. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +89.4% (760 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,610
--- Employment in 2022: 850
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,800
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
