BuildTotals

Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.

Contractor costs in Nebraska

Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Nebraska. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.

Construction labor wages in Nebraska

Official BLS data · OEWS 2024

The actual pay range for 18 building trades in Nebraska — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.

Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.

Trade 10th %ile Median /hr 90th %ile Employed in NE
Construction supervisors $25.11 $36.90 $50.60 5,810
Carpenters $18.23 $23.84 $33.06 6,550
Cement masons & concrete finishers $19.18 $23.11 $29.76 3,410
Drywall & ceiling-tile installers $16.62 $23.31 $30.90 710
Tile & stone setters $23.25 $24.15 $30.90 70
Floor layers (non-carpet) $14.42 $15.07 $25.08 150
Floor sanders & finishers $19.52 $21.85 $24.85
Carpet installers $13.56 $19.57 $26.62 60
Painters $13.60 $21.64 $27.42 1,580
Glaziers $18.71 $27.50 $40.74 430
Insulation workers $18.37 $21.42 $32.16 220
Brickmasons & blockmasons $22.13 $28.88 $33.98 370
Roofers $17.41 $22.10 $28.69 1,580
Electricians $18.65 $28.86 $43.78 6,210
Plumbers & pipefitters $21.90 $30.23 $44.88 4,240
HVAC technicians $18.55 $28.70 $37.68 3,080
Equipment operators $21.66 $27.52 $34.93 3,180
Construction laborers $17.25 $22.48 $29.64 7,460

How building-trade pay has moved since 2019

Median hourly wage by year for Nebraska's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.

Carpenters +32% since 2019
$23.84/hr

$18.02 in 2019 → $23.84 in 2024

Electricians +19% since 2019
$28.86/hr

$24.29 in 2019 → $28.86 in 2024

Plumbers & pipefitters +5% since 2019
$30.23/hr

$28.71 in 2019 → $30.23 in 2024

Construction laborers +33% since 2019
$22.48/hr

$16.90 in 2019 → $22.48 in 2024

State-specific BLS wage signals

These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Nebraska's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.

Highest median wage in state

Construction supervisors

$36.90/hr

Source: BLS OEWS 2024

Largest reported construction trade

Construction laborers

7,460 employed

Source: BLS OEWS 2024

Biggest premium vs trade median

Glaziers

+$0.22/hr vs $27.28

Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024

Fastest median-wage growth

Carpet installers

+ 36% since 2019

Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).

Concrete labor (per cu yd installed) $66 - $112
Interior painting (per sq ft) $1.40 - $2.50
6ft privacy fence (per linear ft) $15 - $32
LVP/laminate flooring install (per sq ft) $1.90 - $3.60
Drywall hang+tape+mud (per sq ft) $1.40 - $2.50

Find a contractor in Nebraska

When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Nebraska's contractor licensing board.