State government

Nebraska's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Nebraska took in $17.0 billion and spent $16.3 billion.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

See every government that serves your ZIP

Where it comes from

State taxes48%Federal tax money35%Fines and other10%Fees for services (college tuition, university housing and dining)6.8%Local tax money0.3%

What stands out

10%

of Nebraska's money comes from business income taxes.A typical state government gets 3.8%.

State taxes48%

Sales tax
18%$2.97 billion
Individual income tax
15%$2.48 billion
Business income tax
10%$1.72 billion
Other taxes
5.5%$937 million
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 15 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$415 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$130 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$94.2 million
  • Public utility taxes$65.9 million
  • Tobacco taxes$43.7 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$33.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$32.7 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$28.7 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$22.6 million
  • Amusement taxes$21.9 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$16.7 million
  • Corporation licenses$12.5 million
  • Driver's licenses$11.6 million
  • Severance taxes$3.7 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$1.4 million
  • Other licenses$1.2 million
  • Amusement licenses$559 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
<0.1%$126 thousand

Fees for services6.8%

Fees for services
6.8%$1.15 billion
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; university housing and dining and 10 more
  • College tuition$490 million
  • University housing and dining$377 million
  • Other service charges$147 million
  • Other school charges$50.4 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$43.5 million
  • Hospital bills$30.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$10.7 million
  • Housing$2.8 million
  • Road charges$533 thousand
  • Airport$225 thousand
  • Other education charges$221 thousand
  • Garbage collection$95 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money35%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
35%$5.91 billion

Local tax money0.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.3%$46.3 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
10%$1.76 billion
Fines
<0.1%$12.8 million

Where it goes

Social services31%Sent to local governments26%Schools and colleges18%Roads, transit and parking7.5%Police, fire, courts and jails5.6%All other spending12%

What stands out

18%

of Nebraska's spending goes to schools and colleges.A typical state government spends 15%.

Spending by category100%

Social services
31%$5.03 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; welfare institutions and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$4.89 billion
  • Welfare institutions$77.5 million
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$45.4 million
  • Veterans' services$14.6 million
Sent to local governments
26%$4.22 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: general support and 14 more
  • Sent to school districts$2.32 billion
  • Sent to local governments: general support$1.11 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$449 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$124 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$71.3 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$66.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$27.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$16.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$15.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$8.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$6.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$2.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$2.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$860 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$686 thousand
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$61 thousand
Schools and colleges
18%$2.93 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; college housing, dining and bookstores and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$1.98 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$562 million
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$271 million
  • Other education$125 million
Roads, transit and parking
7.5%$1.21 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$1.21 billion
  • Airports$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.6%$906 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; probation, parole and other corrections and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$377 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$221 million
  • Police$128 million
  • Courts and legal services$119 million
  • Inspections and regulation$59.7 million
Running the government and other costs
4.9%$796 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$420 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$247 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$91.0 million
  • Other government administration$27.8 million
  • Government buildings$10.2 million
Health and hospitals
3.9%$641 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health and hospitals
  • Public health$380 million
  • Hospitals$260 million
Environment and natural resources
2.2%$354 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$354 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.5%$80.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$75.9 million
  • Libraries$4.0 million
Interest on debt
0.5%$79.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$5.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.4 million
Housing and community development
<0.1%$1.1 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

State of Nebraska. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of State of Nebraska itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.

Counties92 counties, A to Z
Cities and towns858 cities, towns and townships, A to Z
School districts267 school districts, A to Z