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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Omaha, NE (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$74,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$68K–$84K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.7%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~22
Omaha metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Omaha at market, plan on a base salary range of $68,000 to $84,000, with $74,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 22 days, expect to lead at $84K–$96K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Nebraska does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Omaha

Three pay positions, modeled against current Omaha market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$60K–$68K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Omaha average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$71.6K–$78K
Default for most Omaha employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~22 days. A range width of ~30% (min $68,000 to max $84,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$80K–$96K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

RN salary percentile distribution in Omaha, NE

Where the Omaha market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $60K
25th $68K
Median $74K
75th $84K
90th $96K

Most Omaha employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($74,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $68,000 and a max of $84,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Nebraska pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Nebraska.

Not required statewide. Nebraska has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a RN role in Omaha, a compliant good-faith range looks like $68,000 to $84,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $68,000–$84,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top RN employers in Omaha — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring RNs in the Omaha metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Nebraska Medicine Academic medical center $72K–$92K Common ($8K–$15K)
CHI Health (CommonSpirit) Health system $70K–$90K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Methodist Health System Health system $70K–$90K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Children's Hospital & Medical Center Pediatric specialty $72K–$92K Common ($8K–$15K)
Bergan Mercy Medical Center (CHI) Hospital $68K–$88K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Omaha

How hard is it to fill a RN role in Omaha.

~22
Avg Days to Fill
~950
Active Postings
~11,800
Omaha RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Omaha RN market driven by Nebraska Medicine, CHI Health, and Methodist Health System.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Omaha, NE

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN +7–11% Very high
Pediatric (Children's) +6–10% High
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard

RN total compensation in Omaha — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for RNs in Omaha. "Prevalence" reflects share of Omaha disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Omaha Postings
Base salary $74,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~86%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~72%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~48%
Tuition reimbursement $2,500–$4,500/yr ~52%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$92K–$110K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

RN pay by setting in Omaha — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RN range splits by employer type in the Omaha metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $70,000 $62K–$80K Moderate
ICU / Critical care $84,000 $74K–$96K Very high
Emergency department $82,000 $72K–$94K Very high
Pediatric (Children's) $84,000 $74K–$96K High
Ambulatory / clinic $62,000 $56K–$72K Moderate

RN salary in Omaha vs. other Nebraska and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Omaha Hiring Difficulty
Omaha–Council Bluffs, NE-IA $74,000 — Moderate
Kansas City, MO-KS $78,000 +5.4% Moderate
Des Moines, IA $74,000 0.0% Moderate
Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN-WI $100,000 +35.1% Tight
Nebraska statewide $70,000 −5.4% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Omaha, NE

Market median is $74,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $74,000 — typically $68,000 to $84,000. To lead the market, plan on $84K–$96K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Nebraska. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $68,000–$84,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$66,000 falls below the Omaha market median of $74,000 — roughly at the 10th–25th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 72% of Omaha metro RN postings include a sign-on bonus. CHI Health and Methodist lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 22 days in the Omaha metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($84K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($68K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Omaha-metro posting volume: Nebraska Medicine, CHI Health (CommonSpirit), Methodist Health System, Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Bergan Mercy Medical Center (CHI) lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Omaha — for example, $68,000 to $84,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Nebraska has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related RN pay benchmarks — Nebraska metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Kansas City, MO → RN pay benchmark — Minneapolis, MN → RN pay benchmark — Wichita, KS → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Omaha
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Omaha → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Omaha → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.