Salaries · United States · Indiana
Salaries in Indiana 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Indiana is $47,860 a year ($23.01 an hour), 6% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 38th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Indiana earn a median of $56,685 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Indiana: the key figures
| Figure | Indiana | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $47,860 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $60,840 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $29,120 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $101,160 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 3,201,220 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $56,685 ± $259 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $71,957 ± $352 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 93.3 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $7.25 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $47,860, a single person keeps about $39,253 a year ($3,271 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Indiana income tax. With prices 7% below the US average, $47,860 here buys what $51,300 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $47,860 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,563 |
| Social Security | -$2,967 |
| Medicare | -$694 |
| Indiana income tax | -$1,382 |
| Take-home a year | $39,253 |
What drives pay in Indiana
Indiana has the most manufacturing-heavy economy of any state. Factories produced 23.9% of its GDP in 2025, against 9.5% for the US, and paid 20.5% of all employee compensation (BEA). Chemical manufacturing, which includes pharmaceuticals, made up 7.1% of GDP (US 1.9%), motor vehicles and parts 3.7% (US 0.6%) and primary metals 1.7% (US 0.25%). The state's economic development corporation notes that Indiana is home to the global headquarters of Eli Lilly and the North American headquarters of Roche Diagnostics.
Factory work gives Indiana a broad band of middle incomes rather than many high ones. Hand laborers and material movers are the most common job, 103,200 of them on a median of $41,340, and assemblers and fabricators third, 85,610 on $45,550. Office industries are smaller than nationally: finance and insurance is 6.2% of GDP (US 8.7%) and professional and technical services 5.1% (US 8.0%). So the 90th percentile is $101,160, well below the US figure of $128,560, while at the bottom, with a $7.25 minimum wage, one worker in ten earns less than $29,120 (US $31,200). The median is $47,860, 6% below the US and 38th of the 50 states and DC, with prices about 7% below the US average.
Manufacturing is still where the growth is. Factory output rose 3.2% in real terms in 2025, faster than the state economy's 1.9% (US 2.3%). New projects the state lists include a second StarPlus Energy battery plant for Samsung SDI, an SK hynix chip packaging plant and a Microsoft data center campus in La Porte. Unemployment was 3.4% in September 2026, against 4.2% nationally.
The highest-paid jobs in Indiana
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologists | 1,460 | $394,060 |
| Physicians, All Other | 6,760 | $366,190 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 1,170 | $347,060 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 2,380 | $314,390 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,410 | $261,940 |
| Chief Executives | 1,820 | $254,180 |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,080 | $177,300 |
| Dentists, General | 2,300 | $166,650 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 4,610 | $155,810 |
| Pharmacists | 6,430 | $144,290 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 8,060 | $142,040 |
| Marketing Managers | 3,350 | $136,260 |
| Financial Managers | 12,560 | $135,840 |
| Optometrists | 1,040 | $135,500 |
| Physician Assistants | 2,110 | $132,050 |
The most common jobs in Indiana
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 103,200 | $41,340 | $19.87 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 97,290 | $28,790 | $13.84 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 85,610 | $45,550 | $21.90 |
| Retail Salespersons | 83,670 | $31,530 | $15.16 |
| Registered Nurses | 68,980 | $83,500 | $40.14 |
| Cashiers | 68,350 | $29,670 | $14.26 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 66,420 | $36,250 | $17.43 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 59,090 | $60,290 | $28.99 |
| Office Clerks, General | 58,480 | $44,520 | $21.40 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 57,050 | $35,060 | $16.86 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 49,220 | $36,460 | $17.53 |
| General and Operations Managers | 47,180 | $108,170 | $52.01 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 44,630 | $43,140 | $20.74 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 43,620 | $28,480 | $13.69 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 34,480 | $49,890 | $23.99 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Indiana
Official BLS medians for Indiana; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | 2,300 | $166,650 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 630 | $158,810 |
| Pharmacist | 6,430 | $144,290 |
| Physician Assistant | 2,110 | $132,050 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 7,450 | $128,830 |
| Lawyer | 8,970 | $126,860 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 440 | $107,400 |
| Software Engineer | 14,130 | $105,920 |
| Commercial Pilot | 960 | $104,160 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 2,260 | $101,420 |
| Actuary | 780 | $100,690 |
| Project Manager | 11,970 | $95,020 |
| Elevator Technician | 120 | $92,390 |
| Dental Hygienist | 5,020 | $92,330 |
| Data Scientist | 3,580 | $91,470 |
| Registered Nurse | 68,980 | $83,500 |
| Financial Analyst | 3,680 | $81,760 |
| Compliance Officer | 5,120 | $78,770 |
| Accountant | 25,660 | $77,720 |
| Plumber | 11,280 | $76,320 |
| Electrician | 19,020 | $68,490 |
| UX Designer | 1,160 | $63,430 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 1,500 | $63,400 |
| HVAC Technician | 8,530 | $60,430 |
| Paralegal | 5,910 | $57,030 |
| Welder | 13,280 | $49,730 |
Indiana and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $47,860 | 93.3 | $51,300 |
| Illinois | $51,960 | 100.0 | $52,000 |
| Kentucky | $46,920 | 90.2 | $52,000 |
| Michigan | $49,270 | 96.2 | $51,200 |
| Ohio | $49,380 | 92.8 | $53,200 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Indiana, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC): Life Sciences industry page, accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC): homepage, accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development: Indiana Employment Snapshot, September 2026, released 20 Oct 2026
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- Salary comparison by city: what a salary is worth in another US city
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