U.S. Employment Exploration: Nebraska

Nebraska in a “Nutshell”

Nebraska ranks 16 th in size among the 50 states, but you can drive from the northern edge to the southern border in just a few hours.

You will probably also pass relatively few people throughout much of the state, since approximately 36 percent of its 1.7 million inhabitants live in the two largest cities: Omaha and Lincoln, the capital. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2004, over 46 percent of the state’s population lives in the metropolitan areas of those cities.

Nebraska boasts a crime rate 40 percent lower than the national rate and a cost of living below the national average. Nebraska is also the only state in the country that provides 100 percent public power, which helps keep costs down.

At the same time, Nebraska’s tax rate, which particularly affects individuals who hold more than entry-level positions and earn salaries higher than $40,000, makes the state rank higher than its neighbors in that respect.

Nebraska generally tends to have very hot summers (up to 118 degrees Fahrenheit) and very cold winters (as low as –47 degrees). The eastern portion, where its major cities are located, receives approximately twice as much rain as the western part.

[Sources: Nebraska Department of Economic Development; Nebraska Advantage; Nebraska Chamber of Commerce; Department of Labor/Nebraska Workforce Development]

Little-Known Facts:

By law, Nebraska has no state debt. [Source: City-data.com]
The largest expanse of sand dunes in North America (about 20,000 square miles) lies in central Nebraska. [Source: Netstates.com]

Making a Living in Nebraska

Unemployment & Income:

Statewide unemployment dropped from 3.6 percent in December 2005 to 2.9 percent in December 2006 (not seasonally adjusted). According to a 2005 annual report, 37.5 percent of initial unemployment claims came in the five-county Omaha Consortium, while only 11.6 percent came from the two-county Lincoln Metropolitan Statistical Area. Goods Producing Industries (particularly Construction & Mining and Manufacturing) accounted for over 57 percent of the extended mass layoff events in Nebraska in 2005, while Service Providing industries (particularly Trade, Transportation, and Utilities) accounted for approximately 39 percent. Seasonal layoffs played a significant role in the extended mass layoff events that occurred in 2005.

Per capita income was about $30,000 in 2003 and median household income about $44,000. Statewide, the average weekly wage for April-June 2006 ranged from a low of $218 in Leisure and Hospitality to a high of $1,019 for Federal Government. Better-paying non-government jobs included Manufacturing, Professional and Business Services, Financial Activities, and Information.

Predictably, salaries and employment opportunities tend to be greater in the large metropolitan areas. A substantial number of the state’s professional organizations also make their home there.

The state maintains a Worker Training Program that provides grants to enable employers to update the skills of existing employees.

Major Industries & Employers

Depending on the information source, the major industries within the state are as follows:

Farming, grain-processing, meat packing, and the Air Force’s Strategic Air Command; or
Finance, insurance, and real estate; trade; agriculture; manufacturing; and services.

Major employers in the state include Becton Dickinson, Inc.; Kaufman Trailers; NUCOR; Oriental Trading Company; PayPal; Pacific Life; TAG, A Perot Systems Company; Talent +; Technologent; The Gallup Organization; and Tractor Supply Company.

In Lincoln the largest employers are the State of Nebraska; Lincoln Public Schools: the University of Nebraska; BryanLGH Medical Center; the City of Lincoln; B&R Stores, Inc.; Alltel Communications; Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation; Burlington Northern/Santa Fe; and Duncan Aviation, Inc. In Omaha they are Offutt Air Force Base; Alegent Health; Omaha Public Schools; First Data Corporation; Methodist Health System; Nebraska Medical Center; Mutual of Omaha Insurance; Union Pacific Corporation; First National Bank; and West Corporation.

[Sources: Nebraska Workforce Development; University of Nebraska Biological Systems Engineering; City-data.com]

Online Resources

Georgia Adamson CCMC / CCM / CEIP / CPRW / JCTC

A Successful Career, division of Adept Business Services