Nebraska Minimum Wage 2026
Last updated: · Source: Nebraska Department of Labor
Nebraska · Minimum Wage 2026
Effective 2026-01-01
Data last verified: 2026-07-09
Tipped Rate
$2.13/hr
Tip Credit
$12.87/hr
Exempt Salary
$684/wk
Effective Date
2026-01-01
Nebraska Wage Calculator
Current Nebraska Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Nebraska is $15.00 per hour in 2026, effective 2026-01-01. This is above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employers must pay the higher of the two rates, so the Nebraska rate applies. See the federal minimum wage page for how the FLSA floor applies nationwide.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers must pay the highest minimum wage that legally applies to a work location, whether set federally, by the state, or by a city or county ordinance.
Nebraska Tipped Minimum Wage
In Nebraska, tipped employees may be paid a direct cash wage of $2.13/hr. Employers may claim a tip credit of up to $12.87/hr, but the employee's total hourly earnings (direct wages + tips) must equal at least the full minimum wage of $15.00/hr. If tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference.
| Component | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cash wage | $2.13/hr | Minimum employer must pay directly |
| Tip credit | $12.87/hr | Maximum credit employer may claim |
| Total required | $15.00/hr | Wages + tips must reach this floor |
Nebraska Exempt Employee Salary Threshold (2026)
An "exempt" employee is a salaried worker who, by law, isn't entitled to overtime pay (time-and-a-half) for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. Whether a salaried employee actually qualifies as exempt depends on both their pay and their job duties. Nebraska follows the federal FLSA salary threshold. To qualify for the white-collar (executive, administrative, or professional) overtime exemption, salaried employees must earn at least $684/week ($35,568/year) in 2026.
City & County Minimum Wages in Nebraska
Nebraska's Wage and Hour Act comprehensively regulates minimum wage statewide; a May 2026 Nebraska Attorney General opinion concluded that the city of Lincoln lacked authority to enact its own minimum wage ordinance under field and conflict preemption.
| City / County | 2026 Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $15.00/hr (state rate) | Follows Nebraska's $15.00 state minimum wage; no local ordinance. |
| Lincoln | $15.00/hr (state rate) | Follows Nebraska's $15.00 state minimum wage; the Nebraska Attorney General blocked the Lincoln City Council's 2026 attempt to set its own minimum wage. |
| Bellevue | $15.00/hr (state rate) | Follows Nebraska's $15.00 state minimum wage; no local ordinance. |
| Grand Island | $15.00/hr (state rate) | Follows Nebraska's $15.00 state minimum wage; no local ordinance. |
Nebraska Minimum Wage History
The following table shows minimum wage rates in Nebraska over the past several years.
| Year | Minimum Wage | Effective Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $15.00/hr | 2026-01-01 | |
| 2025 | $13.50/hr | 2025-01-01 | |
| 2020 | $9.00/hr | 2016-01-01 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum wage in Nebraska is $15.00 per hour in 2026, effective 2026-01-01. Tipped employees may be paid $2.13 per hour provided tips bring total earnings to at least $15.00/hr.
Nebraska's minimum wage increased from $13.50 to $15.00/hr effective January 1, 2026, completing the phase-in schedule from the voter-approved 2022 ballot initiative (Initiative 433). Beginning in 2027, the rate will rise annually (LB 258, signed February 9, 2026, set future increases at a fixed 1.75% per year).
In Nebraska, tipped employees must be paid at least $2.13 per hour directly. Employers may claim a tip credit of up to $12.87/hr, but total compensation including tips must reach $15.00/hr.
Nebraska follows the federal FLSA salary threshold. Salaried exempt employees must earn at least $684/week ($35,568/year) to qualify for the white-collar overtime exemption in 2026.
Nebraska's Wage and Hour Act comprehensively regulates minimum wage statewide; a May 2026 Nebraska Attorney General opinion concluded that the city of Lincoln lacked authority to enact its own minimum wage ordinance under field and conflict preemption.