CoworkingCafe has named Omaha as the #3 best mid-sized metro area in America where STEM professionals thrive in 2025. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Nationwide, jobs in scientific fields have increased by 31percent, while wages have risen 19 percent over the past five years.
CoworkingCafe’s study evaluates large, mid-sized and small cities across nine key metrics to identify where science professionals truly thrive. Analyzing factors like STEM job availability, local STEM establishments, wage trends for science professionals, education levels, affordability and more, the study discovered that Omaha-Council Bluffs ranks #3 among mid-sized metros, scoring 62.73 points. CoworkingCafe called Omaha “a rising powerhouse for science professionals.”
When it comes to number of businesses, Omaha ranks 8th among mid-sized metros with 411 STEM-related establishments that provide diverse opportunities across industries from tech to research. Approximately 13.4 percent of all jobs in the Omaha metro are science-driven, placing Omaha 14th for STEM job concentration among mid-sized metros.
Omaha experienced a 19.5 percent increase in STEM jobs between 2019 and 2024 (#32 among mid-sized metros), reflecting a consistent expansion of the science sector. Omaha’s unemployment rate is low at 1.4 percent among residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher, ranking 2nd for workforce stability among mid-sized metros.
Science pros in Omaha earn an average annual salary of $111,734, the 2nd highest among mid-sized metros and well above the national average of $97,000 per year. Between 2019 and 2024, STEM wages in Omaha grew by 36 percent, boasting the highest increase in the mid-size category.
Lincoln is the only other metro in Nebraska that was considered in the study, ranking #14 among small metros.
Here are the Top 10 Mid-Sized Metros for STEM:
1. Durham, N.C.
2. Madison, Wis.
3. Omaha
4. Huntsville, Ala.
5. Lexington, Ky.
6. Albany, N.Y.
7. Albuquerque, N.M.
8. Provo, Utah
9. Worcester, Mass.
10. New Haven, Conn.
The top large metros are San Jose, Calif.; Boston; and Washington, D.C. The top small metros are Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Boulder, Colo.
