VH-studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $90,210
- Median hourly wage: $43.37
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lincoln
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Lincoln. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $91,140
- Median hourly wage: $43.82
- Total employment: 190 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $91,400
- Median hourly wage: $43.94
- Total employment: 200 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $91,560
- Median hourly wage: $44.02
- Total employment: 280 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $92,610
- Median hourly wage: $44.52
- Total employment: 500 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vitpho // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $92,890
- Median hourly wage: $44.66
- Total employment: 4,700 people (25.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $93,690
- Median hourly wage: $45.04
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $96,140
- Median hourly wage: $46.22
- Total employment: 650 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,280
- Median hourly wage: $46.29
- Total employment: 460 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PanuShot // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $97,060
- Median hourly wage: $46.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $97,460
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 520 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $97,920
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 380 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $98,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.34
- Total employment: 260 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $98,720
- Median hourly wage: $47.46
- Total employment: 850 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,900
- Median hourly wage: $47.55
- Total employment: 240 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $99,090
- Median hourly wage: $47.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,350
- Median hourly wage: $48.72
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $102,100
- Median hourly wage: $49.09
- Total employment: 60 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $102,340
- Median hourly wage: $49.20
- Total employment: 1,670 people (9.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $102,600
- Median hourly wage: $49.33
- Total employment: 430 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,780
- Median hourly wage: $49.90
- Total employment: 630 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,560
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $106,200
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,890
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $107,400
- Median hourly wage: $51.64
- Total employment: 240 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $108,830
- Median hourly wage: $52.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $108,850
- Median hourly wage: $52.33
- Total employment: 290 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kzenon // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $109,880
- Median hourly wage: $52.83
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 130 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,050
- Median hourly wage: $53.39
- Total employment: 640 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $111,170
- Median hourly wage: $53.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $120,600
- Median hourly wage: $57.98
- Total employment: 330 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $121,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $122,720
- Median hourly wage: $59.00
- Total employment: 240 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $123,600
- Median hourly wage: $59.42
- Total employment: 500 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,330
- Median hourly wage: $60.74
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $126,500
- Median hourly wage: $60.82
- Total employment: 1,050 people (5.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $127,280
- Median hourly wage: $61.19
- Total employment: 920 people (5.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $132,470
- Median hourly wage: $63.69
- Total employment: 340 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $132,700
- Median hourly wage: $63.80
- Total employment: 390 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $155,050
- Median hourly wage: $74.54
- Total employment: 170 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $182,110
- Median hourly wage: $87.55
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $196,390
- Median hourly wage: $94.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $204,570
- Median hourly wage: $98.35
- Total employment: 570 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 170 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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