Healthcare & Medical Jobs in Omaha, NE
Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center anchor a medical campus in Midtown Omaha, and Children's Nebraska and Methodist line Dodge Street to the west. The guides below cover every healthcare and medical role in Omaha, who is hiring, what it pays, and how to get trained.
Why Healthcare & Medical Work Is Different in Omaha
Health care is the biggest private hiring block in the Omaha metro. On the Greater Omaha Chamber's list of the region's largest employers, Nebraska Medicine, CHI Health and the University of Nebraska Medical Center each employ 5,000 or more people, and Methodist Health System and Children's Nebraska each employ between 2,500 and 4,999. Federal May 2025 wage data shows healthcare practitioners make up about 7.3 percent of all metro jobs and healthcare support another 4.2 percent.
The work follows a clear map. The academic core fills Midtown around 42nd and Dewey, where the Nebraska Medical Center, UNMC and Clarkson College sit within a few blocks of each other. Dodge Street carries the next cluster, with Children's Nebraska at 8200 Dodge and Methodist Hospital at 8303 Dodge, and Methodist Women's Hospital sits at 192nd and Dodge in Elkhorn. CHI Health covers the rest of the metro with Bergan Mercy on Mercy Road, Immanuel in north Omaha, Lakeside in west Omaha and Midlands in Papillion, and the Omaha VA Medical Center on Woolworth Avenue serves veterans from Nebraska and western Iowa. Because so many large systems compete for the same nurses and technicians, recruiting is aggressive: Nebraska Medicine has advertised sign-on bonuses of up to $15,000 for med-surg nurses and $5,000 for clinic RNs and medical assistants.
Top Healthcare & Medical Employers in Omaha
These Omaha health systems and care providers hire across nursing, clinic and support roles:
- Nebraska Medicine - the UNMC partner system runs the Nebraska Medical Center, Bellevue Medical Center and about 15 metro primary care clinics, hiring nursing, nursing support, allied health and entry-level staff.
- CHI Health - operates Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy, a Level I trauma center, plus Immanuel, Lakeside and Midlands, and recruits RNs, LPNs and unlicensed support staff.
- Methodist Health System - Methodist Hospital, Nebraska's first Magnet hospital, and Methodist Women's Hospital recruit for nursing, imaging, surgical tech, sterile processing and respiratory care.
- Children's Nebraska - the pediatric hospital on Dodge Street hires RNs and LPNs and runs a Nurse Residency Program for new graduates.
- VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System - the Omaha VA Medical Center hires nurses and clinical, administrative and support staff.
- Immanuel - the senior living, skilled nursing, home health and PACE provider hires LPNs, nurse aides and medication aides in Omaha and Papillion.
Healthcare & Medical Career Paths in Omaha
- Nursing and direct patient care - Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant and Patient Care Technician, plus the Healthcare overview guide. This is the largest track and the clearest ladder, from nurse aide to RN.
- Clinic and business office - Medical Assistant, Medical Receptionist and Medical Biller and Coder. These roles staff the metro's primary care and specialty clinics and the systems' billing offices.
- Lab, imaging, pharmacy and therapy - Medical Laboratory Technician, Phlebotomist, Pharmacy Technician, Radiologic Technologist, Surgical Technologist, Respiratory Therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant and Dental Assistant. These technical roles each need a specific program or credential.
- Emergency and behavioral health - EMT and Paramedic and Behavioral Health Technician, for work on ambulances, in emergency departments and in mental health settings.
How to Start a Healthcare & Medical Career in Omaha
- Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry - run by the Department of Health and Human Services. You complete a 75-hour Nurse Aide course from a state-approved trainer and pass written and skills exams.
- RN and LPN licenses - issued by the DHHS Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit, after the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN. Nursing programs are approved by the Nebraska Board of Nursing, and Nebraska is a Nurse Licensure Compact state.
- Metropolitan Community College, South Omaha Campus - CNA training, a one-year Practical Nursing certificate and a one-year LPN-to-RN associate degree.
- Bachelor's nursing programs - UNMC College of Nursing, Creighton University, Clarkson College, Nebraska Methodist College and College of Saint Mary, which also offers practical nursing.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) - a CPR certification that hospital and clinic postings commonly ask for.
Registry listing for nurse aides and state licensure for RNs and LPNs are legal requirements; BLS, specialty certifications and a bachelor's degree for RNs are employer preferences that vary by job.
Healthcare & Medical Salaries in Omaha
- Entry - about $18 to $23 per hour for nursing assistants and medical assistants.
- Mid - roughly $24 to $36 per hour for licensed practical nurses.
- Senior - about $33 to $54 per hour for registered nurses, with a metro median near $41.
These are estimates based on federal May 2025 wage data for the Omaha metro, where healthcare support jobs average about $20 an hour and healthcare practitioners about $52. The large systems compete on more than base pay: Nebraska Medicine offers sign-on bonuses, tuition aid up to $5,000 a year and student loan payment help for eligible nursing roles, CHI Health adds certification pay and shift incentive pay, and Methodist lists tuition reimbursement and certification fee assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest healthcare employers in Omaha?
Nebraska Medicine, CHI Health and the University of Nebraska Medical Center each employ 5,000 or more people, according to the Greater Omaha Chamber. Methodist Health System and Children's Nebraska each employ 2,500 to 4,999, and the Omaha VA Medical Center and senior care providers such as Immanuel add more.
What is the fastest way to start a healthcare job in Omaha?
Nurse aide work is the quickest start. After a 75-hour state-approved course and the competency exams, you are listed on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry and can apply to hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies across the metro.
How much do healthcare jobs pay in Omaha?
Federal May 2025 data puts the Omaha median near $19 an hour for nursing assistants, $23 for medical assistants, $31 for LPNs and $41 for registered nurses. Bonuses, shift differentials and certification pay can add more.
Where can I study nursing in Omaha?
Metropolitan Community College's South Omaha Campus offers practical nursing and an LPN-to-RN associate degree. UNMC, Creighton University, Clarkson College, Nebraska Methodist College and College of Saint Mary offer bachelor's nursing degrees, and College of Saint Mary and Nebraska Methodist College also offer practical nursing.
Do Omaha hospitals pay for nursing school?
Several help. Nebraska Medicine offers tuition aid up to $5,000 a year for full-time staff pursuing advanced degrees and a company-paid RN-to-BSN pathway through Clarkson College, and Methodist and CHI Health list tuition reimbursement among their benefits.
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