Nebraska's state minimum wage now sits above last year's median pay for several entry-level roles, in a market where unemployment is lower than the national rate. Here is what that means for how you recruit.
Nebraska's state minimum wage is $15.00 an hour in 2026. That is higher than the May 2025 median for cashiers ($14.54) and for fast food and counter workers ($13.94). For many hourly roles, the old pay benchmarks no longer apply. If your ads and offer letters still reflect last year's ranges, candidates will notice before you do.
The labor pool is also tight. Unemployment is 2.9%, against 4.2% nationally, and it was 2.9% a year earlier. Total nonfarm jobs moved +0.2% over the year. The market is not growing fast, but it is not loosening either. Most people who want work have it, so you are usually recruiting someone who already has a job.
This page reads the tables for you. It covers where pay lands by role, which sectors are adding and shedding jobs, what the state's hiring rules cover, and the recruiting moves that fit this market: faster replies, clearer pay, and workflows that handle volume without adding headcount to your hiring team.
With unemployment at 2.9% and a job openings rate of 3.5% against a hires rate of 3.0%, openings are outpacing hires statewide. A quits rate of 2.2% shows workers still change jobs, so your best candidates are often employed and comparing offers.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES, JOLTS). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $16.52 | $27.78 | $50.05 | 6,110 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $19.63 | $30.78 | $57.00 | 8,550 |
| Telemarketers | $13.50 | $15.00 | $29.29 | 490 |
| Customer service representatives | $16.45 | $21.13 | $28.56 | 15,340 |
| Retail salespersons | $13.50 | $15.32 | $22.30 | 22,780 |
| Cashiers | $13.50 | $14.54 | $17.34 | 20,650 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $16.02 | $20.63 | $25.56 | 13,870 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $13.50 | $13.94 | $17.19 | 30,060 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $14.39 | $17.26 | $22.18 | 12,860 |
| Sales managers | $34.81 | $61.05 | $109.56 | 3,000 |
Most Nebraska medians in the table sit below the national figures, such as services sales representatives at $27.78 versus $33.65. Laborers and material movers are an exception, at $20.63 against $19.35 nationally. Keep in mind this data is from May 2025, before the current minimum wage of $15.00, so the bottom of each hourly range has likely moved up.
193,900 jobs · 18.2% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Trade, transportation, and utilities is the biggest employer at 18.2% of jobs but slipped −0.3%, so expect steady replacement hiring for movers, drivers and sales associates rather than rapid expansion.
177,600 jobs · 16.7% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Private education and health services grew +2.4%, which means more employers competing for the same aides, medical assistants and childcare staff, so speed to first contact matters.
117,600 jobs · 11.1% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Professional and business services eased −0.7%, which may loosen supply slightly for contact-center, sales and administrative roles if you can reach those candidates quickly.
104,700 jobs · 9.9% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality posted the fastest growth among top sectors at +2.5%, so servers, cooks and housekeepers are in demand and volume workflows are worth setting up before peak periods.
97,300 jobs · 9.2% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing fell −4.9%, so production and machine-operator candidates with shift experience may be available to warehouse, logistics and other hourly employers.
Trade, transportation, and utilities is the largest sector at 18.2% of nonfarm jobs, but growth is in Leisure and hospitality (+2.5%) and Private education and health services (+2.4%). Manufacturing pulled back −4.9%, which can free up experienced hourly workers for other sectors.
The table summarizes state-level items on background checks, fair-chance rules, minimum wage, non-competes and pay transparency as identified in the sources reviewed. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements with the relevant state agency or your own counsel before changing your process.
Nebraska bars employers from questioning applicants about offenses whose records have been sealed; no state credit-check ban was identified.
Nebraska restricts criminal-history questions only for public employers; private employers are not covered by the state statute.
Nebraska's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour in 2026 and rises to $15.26 on January 1, 2027; tipped employees must receive at least $2.13 an hour in cash wages, with tips making up the difference.
No statewide non-compete agreements requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
The state minimum of $15.00 is above the May 2025 median for cashiers and fast food workers. Audit every posting and template that quotes pay and update it. Put the hourly rate in the ad itself. In a tight market, a clear number is often the reason someone applies to you instead of the next listing.
Openings are running ahead of hires, and most candidates already have a job. A candidate who applies on a break will not wait days for an email. Send a text confirmation right away, with a link to book an interview. Set reminders so fewer booked interviews turn into no-shows.
Services sales pay runs from $16.52 to $50.05 an hour, which reflects commission and performance pay. Candidates cannot read that spread on their own. State the base clearly, then describe what typical and top earners make in plain terms. Screen early for comfort with variable pay so you do not lose people at the offer stage.
Leisure and hospitality grew +2.5% and Private education and health services grew +2.4%. Both hire many similar roles at once across locations. Use status-based automations and bulk messaging so one recruiter can move a large applicant pool from applied to scheduled without handling each record by hand.
Manufacturing pulled back −4.9%. Workers with production, machine and shipping experience often fit warehouse, material-moving and quality roles, where Nebraska's median of $20.63 is above the national figure. Segment past applicants by that experience and send them a targeted message about current openings.
Nebraska employers are hiring in a tight market with rising pay floors, so the hiring team that responds first and clearest wins. The Conversational SMS & Automations inbox lets recruiters text applicants in two-way threads and trigger messages on status, time or action. Interview scheduling with self-service booking lets candidates pick a slot and get automated reminders. For multi-location health care and hospitality hiring, bulk actions let you message, move and manage large applicant pools at once, so volume does not have to slow you down.
The state minimum wage is $15.00 an hour in 2026, and it is scheduled to rise again at the start of next year. Tipped employees have a lower cash-wage floor, with tips making up the difference; the rules table on this page lists the figures. Confirm current requirements with the state labor agency before setting pay.
It is competitive. Unemployment is 2.9% compared with 4.2% nationally, and the job openings rate of 3.5% is above the hires rate of 3.0%. That usually means fewer active job seekers and more employed candidates comparing offers, so fast replies and clear pay matter.
According to the rules summarized on this page, the state's fair-chance restriction applies to public employers, not private employers. Separately, employers may not question applicants about offenses whose records have been sealed. This is general information, not legal advice, so confirm with counsel and check for any local rules.
No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources reviewed. Many employers include pay anyway because it helps postings stand out in a tight market. Confirm current rules with counsel before relying on this.
Texting is a practical way to reach hourly candidates quickly, but get clear opt-in consent before you send recruiting texts. Tell candidates how to opt out and honor STOP replies right away. Keep a record of consent, and check your process with counsel.
Standardize the steps: one branded apply page per location, an automatic text confirmation, self-service interview booking and reminders. Use bulk messaging and status changes to move groups of candidates together. This matters most in growing sectors like Leisure and hospitality, which grew +2.5%.
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Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 23, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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