H3

High Wage. High Demand. High Skill.

What are H3 Occupations?

High Wage, High Skill and High Demand jobs are today's in-demand jobs.

Occupations are high wage when at least half of their wage measures are at or above the regional average for all occupations.
Occupations that require some college, no degree or a higher level of educational attainment are high skill, as well as occupations that require a high school diploma or equivalent plus long-term on-the-job training, an apprenticeship, or internship/residency.
The number of annual openings, net change in employment, and growth rate determine whether an occupation is high demand. An occupation must be High Wage, High Skill and High Demand to be an H3 occupation. For more information on the methodology for H3 occupations, click here.

H3 Report Generator

Reports on H3 occupations can be viewed and downloaded here.

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Top Ten H3 Occupations by Demand Rank

An occupation's demand ranking is based on three factors: the number of annual openings, the net change in employment, and the growth rate.

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Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$21.50	$44,718	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	3,438
2	Registered Nurses	$29.85	$62,086	Bachelor's degree	None	None	1,600
3	General and Operations Managers	$50.86	$105,793	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	1,476
4	Carpenters	$18.40	$38,278	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	1,288
5	Accountants and Auditors	$33.34	$69,348	Bachelor's degree	None	None	1,082
6	Software Developers, Applications	$43.06	$89,563	Bachelor's degree	None	None	534
7	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$56,298	Bachelor's degree	None	None	865
8	Electricians	$23.74	$49,386	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	703
9	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$26.52	$55,155	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	658
10	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$56,267	Bachelor's degree	None	None	629

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$21.05	$43,792	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	1,510
2	Registered Nurses	$31.02	$64,518	Bachelor's degree	None	None	855
3	General and Operations Managers	$54.02	$112,368	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	759
4	Accountants and Auditors	$34.96	$72,726	Bachelor's degree	None	None	623
5	Carpenters	$19.73	$41,032	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	606
6	Software Developers, Applications	$45.29	$94,211	Bachelor's degree	None	None	351
7	Electricians	$24.95	$51,889	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	371
8	Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$30.87	$64,207	Bachelor's degree	None	None	278
9	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$59,114	Bachelor's degree	None	None	337
10	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	$37.32	$77,620	Bachelor's degree	None	None	317

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	N/A	N/A	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	736
2	Registered Nurses	$29.14	$60,603	Bachelor's degree	None	None	302
3	General and Operations Managers	$52.35	$108,879	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	262
4	Software Developers, Applications	$35.89	$74,652	Bachelor's degree	None	None	150
5	Accountants and Auditors	$31.32	$65,157	Bachelor's degree	None	None	222
6	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$55,065	Bachelor's degree	None	None	152
7	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$54,556	Bachelor's degree	None	None	142
8	Compliance Officers	$32.56	$67,726	Bachelor's degree	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training	121
9	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	$39.77	$82,722	Bachelor's degree	None	None	128
10	Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$26.66	$55,438	Bachelor's degree	None	None	105

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$21.79	$45,310	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	140
2	Registered Nurses	$29.26	$60,861	Bachelor's degree	None	None	54
3	General and Operations Managers	$43.35	$90,155	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	52
4	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	$23.39	$48,642	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Long-term on-the-job training	32
5	Accountants and Auditors	$30.18	$62,766	Bachelor's degree	None	None	41
6	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$55,876	Bachelor's degree	None	None	35
7	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$19.00	$39,509	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	None	27
8	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$55,825	Bachelor's degree	None	None	29
9	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$57,597	Bachelor's degree	None	None	28
10	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians	$19.45	$40,456	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	22

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$21.32	$44,356	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	170
2	Registered Nurses	$29.01	$60,347	Bachelor's degree	None	None	115
3	General and Operations Managers	$41.12	$85,543	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	82
4	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$23.15	$48,144	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	82
5	Machinists	$19.26	$40,062	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	78
6	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$54,988	Bachelor's degree	None	None	74
7	Carpenters	$18.42	$38,323	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	61
8	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$56,640	Bachelor's degree	None	None	53
9	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$19.40	$40,339	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	None	44
10	Accountants and Auditors	$31.45	$65,416	Bachelor's degree	None	None	40

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$18.22	$37,881	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	110
2	Registered Nurses	$29.37	$61,096	Bachelor's degree	None	None	56
3	General and Operations Managers	$42.84	$89,113	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	65
4	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	$17.04	$35,437	Some college, no degree	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training	80
5	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$52,848	Bachelor's degree	None	None	45
6	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians	$18.62	$38,743	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	39
7	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$51,840	Bachelor's degree	None	None	38
8	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists	$19.28	$40,089	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	28
9	Managers, All Other	$28.26	$58,780	Bachelor's degree	Less than 5 years	None	30
10	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$19.34	$40,244	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	None	29

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$21.14	$43,978	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	492
2	Registered Nurses	$27.72	$57,646	Bachelor's degree	None	None	137
3	General and Operations Managers	$44.90	$93,383	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	138
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$55,585	Bachelor's degree	None	None	125
5	Machinists	$17.64	$36,681	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	92
6	Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$21.35	$44,414	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	76
7	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$55,093	Bachelor's degree	None	None	86
8	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$20.16	$41,934	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	None	69
9	Electricians	$20.71	$43,075	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	73
10	Accountants and Auditors	$30.81	$64,093	Bachelor's degree	None	None	65

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Registered Nurses	$29.64	$61,650	Bachelor's degree	None	None	63
2	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$17.09	$35,544	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	93
3	General and Operations Managers	$38.21	$79,486	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	61
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$53,904	Bachelor's degree	None	None	53
5	Electricians	$22.31	$46,400	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	35
6	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	$17.13	$35,634	Some college, no degree	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training	75
7	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$19.42	$40,390	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	None	31
8	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$22.69	$47,206	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	30
9	Rail Car Repairers	$21.23	$44,159	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	24
10	Managers, All Other	$65.24	$135,696	Bachelor's degree	Less than 5 years	None	25

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$18.05	$37,532	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	49
2	Registered Nurses	$26.06	$54,216	Bachelor's degree	None	None	17
3	General and Operations Managers	$40.04	$83,300	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	16
4	Carpenters	$15.72	$32,698	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	14
5	Accountants and Auditors	$25.77	$53,611	Bachelor's degree	None	None	13
6	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	N/A	Bachelor's degree	None	None	13
7	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	N/A	N/A	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	11
8	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians	N/A	N/A	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	10
9	Coaches and Scouts	N/A	N/A	Bachelor's degree	None	None	12
10	Loan Officers	$30.87	$64,213	Bachelor's degree	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training	8

Rank	Occupation	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage	Required Education	Required Work Experience	Job Training	Annual Openings
1	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$18.77	$39,038	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	Short-term on-the-job training	127
2	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$20.78	$43,229	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Apprenticeship	89
3	Registered Nurses	$27.60	$57,412	Bachelor's degree	None	None	54
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	N/A	$53,709	Bachelor's degree	None	None	55
5	Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$28.43	$59,123	High school diploma or equivalent	None	Long-term on-the-job training	40
6	General and Operations Managers	$45.36	$94,355	Bachelor's degree	5 years or more	None	50
7	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$55,053	Bachelor's degree	None	None	44
8	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$19.73	$41,037	Postsecondary non-degree award	None	None	41
9	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	$38.16	$79,380	Bachelor's degree	None	None	25
10	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	N/A	$53,754	Bachelor's degree	None	None	27

N/A: Data is not available due to confidentiality.

Wages from Occupational Employment Statistics, 4th Quarter 2017. Annual openings from 2016-2026 Long-term Occupational Projections.

Produced by the Nebraska Department of Labor, Office of Labor Market Information.

What are H3 Occupations?

H3 Report Generator

Top Ten H3 Occupations by Demand Rank

Nebraska Economic Development Regions

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