Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Retail Salesperson Salary in Lincoln, NE

Retail Salespersons in the Lincoln, NE metro area earn a median $30,990 a year — 12% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $26,523 take-home, or $2,210 a month.

Median salary
$30,990
$14.90 per hour
Typical range
$28,080 – $45,130
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Lincoln, NE
4,080
0.89× national concentration
▲4.0%
Pay trend: The median for retail salespersons in Lincoln, NE rose from $29,800 (May 2024) to $30,990 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median retail salesperson salary in Lincoln, NE. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Retail Salesperson in Lincoln, NE
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$26,523
per year · effective tax rate 14.4%
$2,210Monthly
$1,105Twice a month
$1,020Every 2 weeks
$12.75Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,539
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,921
  • Medicare (1.45%)$449
  • Nebraska income tax$558
  • Take-home pay$26,523

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.51% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Retail Salesperson pay by experience in Lincoln, NE

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$28,080$13.50$24,278$2,023
25th percentile$28,740$13.82$24,794$2,066
Median (50th)$30,990$14.90$26,523$2,210
75th percentile$36,430$17.51$30,673$2,556
90th percentile (top earners)$45,130$21.70$37,268$3,106

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Nebraska resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $30,990 buys in Lincoln, NE

Prices in Lincoln, NE are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 16% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median retail salesperson's $26,523 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,961 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$917
41% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,132
51% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,293
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Retail Salesperson jobs are about as common in Lincoln, NE as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.89).

Best-paying cities for retail salespersons, adjusted for cost of living

Lincoln, NE ranks #119 of 237 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Fargo, ND $35,860$30,994$34,107
2St. Cloud, MN $34,860$29,144$33,257
3Yakima, WA $36,640$31,620$33,095
4Sioux Falls, SD $34,600$29,981$33,080
5Rochester, MN $36,000$29,999$33,030
6San Jose, CA $44,220$36,378$32,944
7Duluth, MN $34,650$28,986$32,654
8Rapid City, SD $33,350$28,977$32,500
119Lincoln, NE$30,990$26,523$28,961

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 237 metros →

About the job: retail salespersons

Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
-0.3% (slower than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Retail Salesperson salaries elsewhere in Nebraska

Frequently asked questions

How much does a retail salesperson make in Lincoln, NE?

The median retail salesperson salary in the Lincoln, NE metro area is $30,990 a year, or about $14.90 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,740 and $36,430.

What is a retail salesperson’s take-home pay in Lincoln, NE?

On the median $30,990 salary, a single filer living in Nebraska takes home about $26,523 a year ($2,210 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $558 in Nebraska taxes in 2026.

Is Lincoln, NE a good place to work as a retail salesperson?

Pay here is 12% below the national median of $35,410. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,961 would in a typical U.S. city. Lincoln, NE ranks #119 of 237 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a retail salesperson afford rent in Lincoln, NE?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Lincoln, NE is $917 a month ($1,132 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median retail salesperson’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Lincoln, NE →