Statewide pay Government data
Electrical lineworkers in Nebraska earn a statewide median of $92,150 a year, 5% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #34 of 50 states and DC. About 1,490 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Nebraska
See all states on the electrical lineworkers nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes electrical lineworker pay for 3 Nebraska metros: Omaha, Grand Island and Lincoln.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| OmahaNEBRASKA · NE | $101,960 | $110,933 | 370 |
| Grand IslandNEBRASKA · NE | $84,450 | $97,453 | 90 |
| LincolnNEBRASKA · NE | $81,220 | $88,687 | 180 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Nebraska's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,900 openings a year. Typical training: long-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, electrical lineworkers have 177 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.0× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is overexertion and repetitive strain.
What the work is like Government data
How often electrical lineworkers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of electrical lineworker apprentices in Nebraska who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 80% completed (U.S.: 68%), about 10 graduates a year. The typical program runs 8,000 hours, about 4 years of full-time work. Search open registered programs near you on the official Apprenticeship Finder.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Where to train in Nebraska Government data
6 schools in Nebraska offer electrical and power line installer programs below the bachelor's level. Many people in this trade learn through an apprenticeship instead; a program can shorten it or get you hired as a helper.
Where published, graduates earned a median of $66,735 in their first year out.
| School | Credential | Yearly cost | Recent grads | First-year pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha, NE · Public | Associate degree | $11,632 | 80 | $77,958 |
| Central Community College Grand Island, NE · Public | Certificate | $13,851 | 66 | — |
| Northeast Community College Norfolk, NE · Public | Associate degree | $12,947 | 62 | $66,735 |
| Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE · Public | Certificate | $11,682 | 51 | — |
| Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE · Public | Associate degree | $11,682 | 39 | — |
| Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha, NE · Public | Certificate | $11,632 | 27 | — |
| Central Community College Grand Island, NE · Public | Associate degree | $13,851 | 15 | $47,488 |
| Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff, NE · Public | Certificate | $13,229 | 11 | — |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (data updated October 2026). Cost is the school's average yearly cost of attendance before financial aid; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, shown only where the school has enough graduates to publish. “—” means not published.
Licensing in Nebraska Official source
The main state licensing office in Nebraska is the Nebraska Department of Labor. Contractors register with the state; electricians are licensed by the state Electrical Division. It can point you to the right license for electrical lineworkers.
Official Nebraska licensing site ↗
Requirements for electrical lineworkers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 6.6% of wage and salary workers in Nebraska were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#29 of 51 states and D.C.), and 8.5% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only electrical lineworkers.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in Nebraska
All trades in Nebraska.