Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
4 metro areas in Nebraska publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 18,530 jobs. The three largest employers of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are Omaha (10,210 jobs), Lincoln (4,530 jobs), Sioux City (2,820 jobs), which hold 94.8% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $51,540 to $81,790 a year, against $58,390 for the whole state and $58,640 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $58,640 a year for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,140 and the highest-paid tenth over $79,380). Employment is projected to change by +3.8% between 2025 and 2035, with about 214,500 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: Postsecondary nondegree award; on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Nebraska: the highest median pay is in the Lincoln, NE area ($81,790 a year); the most jobs are in the Omaha, NE-IA area (10,210). Statewide the median is $58,390 with 23,160 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | 4,530 | $81,790 | $47,950 | $81,790 | 1.87 | 16% | 91.6 |
| Grand Island, NE | 970 | $60,810 | $43,150 | $94,810 | 1.84 | 18% | 86.7 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 10,210 | $58,010 | $40,150 | $80,650 | 1.55 | 25% | 91.9 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 2,820 | $51,540 | $38,450 | $79,320 | 2.84 | 23% | 86.5 |
National page: Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers →Cities of Nebraska
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Lincoln, NE area, with a median of $81,790 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Omaha, NE-IA area, with 10,210 jobs.