Average Salaries in Indiana
Explore salaries across 761 occupations in Indiana. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $68.4K, +3.9% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 761 occupations and 3,187,170 total jobs in Indiana.
How the state compares
Wages in Indiana track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Indiana has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Indiana
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Indiana
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $588.9K | 140 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $459.3K | 420 |
| Radiologists | $430.6K | 680 |
| Anesthesiologists | $394.1K | 1,460 |
| Physicians, All Other | $366.2K | 6,760 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $352K | 430 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $347.1K | 1,170 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $340.3K | 380 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $314.4K | 2,380 |
| Psychiatrists | $284.1K | 410 |
Largest occupations in Indiana
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 103,200 | $41.3K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 97,290 | $28.8K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 85,610 | $45.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 83,670 | $31.5K |
| Registered Nurses | 68,980 | $83.5K |
| Cashiers | 68,350 | $29.7K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 66,420 | $36.3K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 59,090 | $60.3K |
| Office Clerks, General | 58,480 | $44.5K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 57,050 | $35.1K |
What Indiana specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Indiana than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Indiana
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fiberglass Laminators And Fabricators | 6.04 | $45.8K |
| Pourers And Casters, Metal | 5.62 | $61.4K |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 5.29 | $45.4K |
| Agricultural Engineers | 5.01 | $94.7K |
| Metal-Refining Furnace Operators And Tenders | 4.41 | $58.3K |
| Welding, Soldering, And Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 4.36 | $44K |
| Furniture Finishers | 4.31 | $43.2K |
| Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 4.18 | $74.6K |
| Cabinetmakers And Bench Carpenters | 3.77 | $45.6K |
| Structural Metal Fabricators And Fitters | 3.59 | $60.2K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Indiana
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Indiana
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $70.4K | 1,091,630 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $61.4K | 217,550 |
| Evansville, IN | $62K | 128,260 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $62.2K | 125,740 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $60K | 122,570 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $64K | 90,950 |
| Bloomington, IN | $64.6K | 63,490 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $57.4K | 57,990 |
| Columbus, IN | $64.3K | 42,210 |
| Muncie, IN | $58.6K | 37,730 |
Common salary questions for Indiana
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.