There are many reasons to consider a career in manufacturing. Jobs are in high demand, the work is engaging, the technology is cutting-edge, and there are plentiful opportunities for workers to become financially secure (without entering the workforce with a lot of student loan debt). According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), an affiliate of the State Chamber, Nebraska’s average annual compensation in manufacturing is $54,984, compared to the average compensation in private, non-farm sectors of $37,572. That’s a $17,412 pay premium for employees in the manufacturing sector. Moreover, manufacturing accounts for $12.5 billion of Nebraska’s total output, so skilled manufacturing employees are always needed. See NAM’s information sheet on Nebraska by clicking here.