SOC 29-1141 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Registered Nurses — Indiana
Indiana · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Indiana is $83,500 a year, trailing the national median of $97,550 by 14.4%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Indiana is $83,500 a year, trailing the national median of $97,550 by 14.4%. Half of workers earn between $78,750 and $100,410. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $66,750 and the ninetieth at $105,750.
The area has 68,980 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.99 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Indiana ranks 36th by median wage. South Bend leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $93,540. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 147th of 753 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $66,750 | −31.6% |
| 25th | $78,750 | −19.3% |
| Median (50th) | $83,500 | −14.4% |
| 75th | $100,410 | +2.9% |
| 90th | $105,750 | +8.4% |
| Mean | $89,150 | −8.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Indiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Bend | $93,540 | 3,370 | |
| 2 | Elkhart | $88,100 | 1,650 | |
| 3 | Indianapolis | $84,230 | 25,800 | |
| 4 | Evansville | $83,820 | 3,890 | |
| 5 | Kokomo | $83,370 | 740 | |
| 6 | Michigan City | $82,300 | 790 | |
| 7 | Terre Haute | $81,550 | 1,600 | |
| 8 | Lafayette | $80,790 | 2,080 | |
| 9 | Bloomington | $80,370 | 1,630 | |
| 10 | Fort Wayne | $79,630 | 6,450 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Indiana run 6.7% below the national average, so the median of $83,500 goes as far as $89,496 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 8.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$83,500as reported by BLSLocal price level
93.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$89,496US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $83,500 a year, 14.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $66,750 to $105,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 68,980 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 36th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is South Bend, at $93,540.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Registered Nurses in Indiana?
The median annual wage is $83,500, or $40.14 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $97,550, so pay in Indiana is 14.4% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Indiana earns more than $105,750 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $66,750 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in South Bend, at $93,540 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 68,980 jobs in this occupation in Indiana. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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