Skilled Wages

Trade pay in Omaha

Omaha, NE-IA: 25 trades ranked by median wage, with the union scale and the jobs trend.

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025

Every trade in Omaha, ranked

Ranked median wagesMedian wageCost-of-living adjusted$0$20$40$60$80/hrElevator mechanic: $56.58 (cost-of-living adjusted $61.57)Elevator mechanic$56.58Construction manager: $49.29 (cost-of-living adjusted $53.63)Construction manager$49.29Lineman: $49.02 (cost-of-living adjusted $53.34)Lineman$49.02Insulation worker: $39.36 (cost-of-living adjusted $42.83)Insulation worker$39.36Construction supervisor: $37.44 (cost-of-living adjusted $40.74)Construction supervisor$37.44Sheet metal worker: $36.27 (cost-of-living adjusted $39.47)Sheet metal worker$36.27Ironworker: $35.79 (cost-of-living adjusted $38.94)Ironworker$35.79Crane operator: $33.12 (cost-of-living adjusted $36.04)Crane operator$33.12Brickmason: $30.71 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.42)Brickmason$30.71Plumber: $30.48 (cost-of-living adjusted $33.17)Plumber$30.48Millwright: $30.27 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.94)Millwright$30.27HVAC technician: $30.08 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.73)HVAC technician$30.08Electrician: $30.02 (cost-of-living adjusted $32.67)Electrician$30.02Tile setter: $29.34 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.93)Tile setter$29.34Diesel mechanic: $29.31 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.89)Diesel mechanic$29.31Heavy equipment operator: $28.86 (cost-of-living adjusted $31.40)Heavy equipment operator$28.86Machinist: $28.14 (cost-of-living adjusted $30.62)Machinist$28.14Drywall installer: $27.13 (cost-of-living adjusted $29.52)Drywall installer$27.13Welder: $25.53 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.78)Welder$25.53Carpenter: $25.39 (cost-of-living adjusted $27.63)Carpenter$25.39Cement mason: $24.16 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.29)Cement mason$24.16Glazier: $24.13 (cost-of-living adjusted $26.26)Glazier$24.13Construction laborer: $23.22 (cost-of-living adjusted $25.27)Construction laborer$23.22Painter: $22.96 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.98)Painter$22.96Roofer: $22.34 (cost-of-living adjusted $24.31)Roofer$22.34
Median hourly wage by trade, Omaha, NE-IA, May 2025. Thin marker: cost-of-living adjusted (BEA metro price parity 91.9).
#Trade10thMedian $/hr90thMedian $/yrJobsvs statevs US
1Elevator mechanic$30.73$56.58$58.85$117,690110about the same as7% above
2Construction manager$35.00$49.29$77.09$102,5201,8002% above11% below
3Lineman$29.03$49.02$56.84$101,96037011% above7% above
4Insulation worker$21.42$39.36$42.88$81,880—12% above67% above
5Construction supervisor$25.19$37.44$50.73$77,8602,9003% above3% below
6Sheet metal worker$19.39$36.27$47.43$75,44030017% above22% above
7Ironworker$25.30$35.79$38.09$74,43038014% above19% above
8Crane operator$23.14$33.12$39.62$68,88015013% above1% above
9Brickmason$21.85$30.71$34.90$63,8702204% above3% above
10Plumber$22.46$30.48$47.38$63,4002,4304% above1% below
11Millwright$22.84$30.27$37.91$62,9602304% above4% below
12HVAC technician$21.93$30.08$40.21$62,5701,6005% above3% above
13Electrician$21.21$30.02$45.52$62,4403,5303% above1% below
14Tile setter$15.19$29.34$44.49$61,040—3% above10% above
15Diesel mechanic$21.91$29.31$39.06$60,9601,1203% above1% below
16Heavy equipment operator$22.54$28.86$37.46$60,0201,3803% aboveabout the same as
17Machinist$19.23$28.14$39.04$58,5402405% aboveabout the same as
18Drywall installer$18.37$27.13$32.33$56,43044016% above4% below
19Welder$21.53$25.53$33.73$53,1101,0602% above1% below
20Carpenter$19.43$25.39$35.62$52,8003,2305% above13% below
21Cement mason$21.50$24.16$30.81$50,2401,3902% above12% below
22Glazier$18.44$24.13$37.99$50,190250about the same as12% below
23Construction laborer$17.96$23.22$30.17$48,3003,9902% above2% above
24Painter$17.12$22.96$28.67$47,7609301% above3% below
25Roofer$18.21$22.34$28.69$46,460870about the same as16% below

Union scale in the Omaha area

The highest Davis-Bacon Building-construction package among the counties in the Omaha metro, next to the metro market median from BLS.

TradeMetro market medianDB baseFringeTotal packageRate sourceCounties with a rate
Electrician$30.02$46.40$20.89$67.29Union5 of 8
Plumber$30.48$44.26$16.90$61.16Union5 of 8
Carpenter$25.39$33.42$18.66$52.08Union5 of 8
Construction laborer$23.22$24.00$13.48$37.48Union5 of 8
Heavy equipment operator$28.86$22.55$5.72$28.27Survey5 of 8
Ironworker$35.79$39.00$22.30$61.30Union5 of 8
Sheet metal worker$36.27$39.65$19.87$59.52Union5 of 8
Painter$22.96$14.26$0.00$14.26Survey5 of 8

Not the official determination. County-level lookup on the Nebraska prevailing wage page.

Construction jobs in Omaha

38.6kConstruction jobs2026-08
+7.5%Change over 12 months
+23.7%Change over 5 years
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202539kAug 2026
Mining, logging and construction employment, Omaha, NE-IA, thousands, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted.

Questions this page answers

What is the highest-paying trade in Omaha?

In the Omaha, NE-IA metro area, elevator and escalator installers and repairers had the highest median wage at $56.58 an hour in May 2025, with 110 jobs counted.

Do trades pay more in Omaha than the rest of Nebraska?

In Omaha, 22 of 25 trades pay above the Nebraska state median and 0 pay below it; the biggest premium is for elevator and escalator installers and repairers at $56.58.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Omaha, NE-IA MSA.
  • BLS CES metro employment.
  • BEA metro Regional Price Parities.
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations.