Nebraska Hydropower jobs: 223 employed (2024)
As of the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, Nebraska employs 223 people in the hydropower sector — about 0.4% of the U.S. total. That makes Nebraska the 33rd-largest state for hydropower jobs nationwide.
Hydropower Jobs in Nebraska (2024)
National share: 0.38% of all U.S. hydropower jobs.
Typical Median Wage
1. Employment Landscape
Nebraska ranks 33rd out of 51 U.S. states in hydropower employment. At 223 workers, the state sits below the 25th-ranked New Jersey’s tally by 98 jobs, and trails the national leader California by 10,410 hydropower workers.
1.1 Nebraska’s position vs. the top 10 and median states
1.2 Share of U.S. total
The hydropower sector nationwide employs roughly 58,089 workers; Nebraska accounts for 223 of them.
1.3 Where Nebraska sits in its own mix
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 14,476 | #35 |
| Solar | 2,061 | #32 |
| Nuclear | 772 | #25 |
| Wind | 741 | #37 |
| Electric Vehicles | 696 | #33 |
| Storage & Grid | 292 | #46 |
| Hydropower | 223 | #33 |
| Clean Fuels | 135 | #36 |
1.4 Sub-sector breakdown in Nebraska
Every hydropower-related sub-category reported for Nebraska in the USEER workbook, ranked by employment.
2. Pay & Career Roles in Nebraska
Nebraska contributes 0.38% of the nation’s hydropower workforce. Within Nebraska’s own clean-energy economy, hydropower accounts for 1.1% of total clean-energy jobs (223 of 19,398 workers).
Cost-of-living in Nebraska is roughly 8.5% lower the U.S. average, so the state-adjusted median wage for hydropower roles in Nebraska is shown alongside the national BLS figure.
| Role | National median | Nebraska-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrologic / Civil Engineer | $95,890 | $87,739 | 4 |
| Water Treatment Plant Operator (Hydro) | $54,460 | $49,831 | 3 |
See all 2 hydropower occupations with national wages and skills →
4. Hiring Difficulty & Industry Mix
Nebraska employers rate 18.0% of clean-energy hires as “very difficult” (plus 33.3% as “somewhat difficult”) — easier than the ~22% national baseline. Combined, 51.2% of Nebraska’s clean-energy roles see some level of hiring friction.
4.1 Employer hiring difficulty
4.2 Jobs by NAICS industry group
| Industry (NAICS group) | Jobs (2024) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 16,966 |
| Manufacturing | 9,284 |
| Other Services | 8,243 |
| Trade | 7,659 |
| Utilities | 7,006 |
| Professional Services | 5,014 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 2,408 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 1,638 |
| Mining and Extraction | 254 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Data source: U.S. Department of Energy — 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (reflecting 2024 employment); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; O*NET Occupation Database 29.1.
Last updated: April 2026.