Physician assistant salary in Nebraska
Nebraska physician assistants earn a median of $133,040 a year ($63.96 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 2% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 33rd of 51 states.
Median, Nebraska
$133,040
Mean $132,810
Middle half earns
$112,820 to $146,790
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Nebraska
1,330
1.24x the national concentration
Where Nebraska sits in the range
Nebraska
Statewide
United States
National
Omaha
Metro area
Lincoln
Metro area
Sioux
Metro area
Grand Island
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Nebraska physician assistants earned less than $103,720 and ten percent earned more than $165,540, a spread of $61,820. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Nebraska | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $103,720 | $99,380 | +4.4% |
| 25th | $112,820 | $120,670 | -6.5% |
| Median | $133,040 | $135,880 | -2.1% |
| 75th | $146,790 | $163,980 | -10.5% |
| 90th | $165,540 | $190,280 | -13.0% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 4 metro areas that include part of Nebraska. Grand Island, NE has the highest median at $141,590. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | 720 | $134,130 | $121,310 to $148,100 |
| Lincoln, NE | 290 | $128,050 | $105,640 to $135,830 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 70 | $130,970 | $115,270 to $146,930 |
| Grand Island, NEmoderate precision | 40 | $141,590 | $121,150 to $160,420 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Nebraska
| Occupation | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $133,040 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $132,130 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $246,730 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $84,730 | $97,550 |
The Nebraska PA workforce
BLS counts 1,330 physician assistants on Nebraska payrolls, or 1.30 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, more concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 1,710 physician assistants with a Nebraska practice address, and 44 new PA NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $112,820, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Nebraska physician assistants earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $146,790, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about PA pay in Nebraska
How much does a PA make in Nebraska?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Nebraska was $133,040 in May 2025, and the mean was $132,810, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $112,820 and $146,790.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Nebraska?
The median hourly wage was $63.96 and the mean was $63.85. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do PAs earn the most in Nebraska?
Among Nebraska metro areas with published data, Grand Island, NE had the highest median at $141,590, and Lincoln, NE the lowest at $128,050.
How does Nebraska rank for PA pay?
Nebraska ranks 33rd of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 2% below the national median of $135,880. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many physician assistants work in Nebraska?
BLS estimated 1,330 physician assistants employed in Nebraska in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 1,710 with a Nebraska practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1071, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
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