Cost of hiring in Lincoln, NE
BLS counts about 18,600 people in these 17 roles in Lincoln1. Executive Assistant has the highest median ($65,410 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($37,050), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 2,890 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Lincoln
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +3.5% | 140 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +0.1% | 330 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.2% | 930 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.7% | 2,890 | |
| Paralegal | -2.3% | 420 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -2.5% | 1,260 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.4% | 1,660 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -7.5% | 2,540 | |
| HR Assistant | -8.6% | 130 | |
| Office Manager | -11.4% | 1,850 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.7% | 1,050 | |
| Executive Assistant | -14.6% | 380 | |
| Recruiter | -16.7% | 1,130 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -17.2% | 60 | |
| Accountant | -22.1% | 2,130 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -25.4% | 750 | |
| Project Coordinator | -36.8% | 950 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $47,230 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $60,942 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Lincoln against the US
Lincoln pays above the US median for only one of the 17 roles, payroll specialists (+3.5%), and below it for 13, furthest for project coordinators (-36.8%). For data entry specialists, medical administrative assistants and administrative assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -8.6%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for payroll specialists, #77 of 486 areas by median pay; its lowest is for project coordinators, #518 of 518.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Lincoln has more data entry specialists (1.8% of these jobs here, against 0.8% nationally) and administrative assistants (15.5% against 10.8%), and fewer e-commerce order specialists (0.3% against 0.5%) and executive assistants (2.0% against 2.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Birmingham, AL is nearest, at -8.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, MI | -8.4% | 13 | 2,660 |
| Cheyenne, WY | -8.4% | 14 | 4,190 |
| Lincoln, NE | -8.6% (this area) | 17 | 18,600 |
| Birmingham, AL | -8.6% | 16 | 57,280 |
| Decatur, IL | -8.6% | 14 | 3,000 |
| Lawrence, KS | -8.7% | 13 | 5,490 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Lincoln span $29,310–$95,610, the widest band (3.3×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $33,840–$48,040. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 17 roles, data entry specialists most ($31,200–$58,790 across the US). Budget from the median for executive assistants, project coordinators, sales development representatives and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($75,740 against a $65,410 median for executive assistants).
Lincoln against Nebraska
Against Nebraska as a whole, Lincoln pays more for 6 of 17 roles, led by payroll specialists (+9.8%) and sales development representatives (+7.0%), and less for 9, most of all project coordinators (-19.3%). It has the highest median in Nebraska for recruiters, sales development representatives and payroll specialists, and the lowest for project coordinators and e-commerce order specialists.
Other areas in Nebraska
By jobs in these roles, Lincoln is #2 of 6 areas in Nebraska. The table shows the other 5.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | 50,590 | 17 |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | 12,140 | 17 |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | 7,090 | 16 |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | 3,190 | 15 |
| Grand Island, NE | 2,920 | 13 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Lincoln?
Of the 17 roles we track, Executive Assistant: a median of $65,410 a year, about $84,400 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $37,050.
Is hiring in Lincoln cheaper than the US median?
For 13 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all project coordinators (-36.8%). One pays more than the US median: payroll specialists (+3.5%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.