It pays well to be an ethanol plant worker in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Ethanol Board reports that wage growth in that state’s ethanol sector outpaced all industry wage growth in the past decade, increasing by more than 58%.

According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, average pay in the ethanol sector has increased from $35,479 in 2000 to $56,158 in 2010. Meanwhile, the statewide average pay for all industries in Nebraska was $37,319 in 2010. “A vibrant rural economy is vital for the economic success of Nebraska,” said Nebraska Commissioner of Labor Catherine Lang. “The ethanol industry provides high skill, high wage jobs for citizens across Nebraska.”

“Ethanol is vital to Nebraska’s economy,” said Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator Todd Sneller. “The ethanol industry has created thousands of jobs while saving drivers money and burning more cleanly than gasoline.”

Sneller notes that a Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) study found that Nebraska’s ethanol industry has directly created over 1,300 jobs, saved drivers $200 million through lower fuel prices, and created $3.5 billion in total economic output. State and local governments have collected over $30 million in new tax revenues created by the ethanol industry.