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Average Salary in Indiana
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Indiana, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 739 occupations in Indiana. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Indiana's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Indiana jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Indiana
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Indiana is cardiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 678.9% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 140 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Indiana pays 22.3% higher for this work. Next on the list are surgeons, all other at a mean of $239,200+ and neurologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 740 people in Indiana, so they describe the top of the Indiana wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | 140 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 490 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 640 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dermatologists | 140 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 1,290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 390 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 380 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 140 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,920 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 5,070 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,700 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 2,200 | $98.93 | $205,780 | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 660 | $96.30 | $200,300 | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 1,040 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
Largest occupations in Indiana
The occupation with the most jobs in Indiana is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 101,500 people at a median annual wage of $28,290 and a mean of $28,200. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Indiana's typical pay for this work runs 7.2% lower. The next-largest occupations are laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (97,350 jobs, median $39,820) and miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators (96,690 jobs, median $42,770). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Indiana pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 101,500 | $28,290 | $28,200 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 97,350 | $39,820 | $41,720 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 96,690 | $42,770 | $46,730 |
| Retail Salespersons | 82,400 | $30,300 | $34,660 |
| Registered Nurses | 68,950 | $80,740 | $85,850 |
| Cashiers | 67,770 | $28,640 | $28,550 |
| Office Clerks, General | 66,160 | $43,420 | $44,500 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 62,540 | $35,510 | $37,470 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 57,870 | $60,090 | $61,160 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 54,690 | $31,440 | $32,690 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 47,750 | $41,600 | $44,900 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 46,990 | $35,240 | $35,140 |
| General and Operations Managers | 46,120 | $108,410 | $137,010 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 43,880 | $27,420 | $30,970 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 34,440 | $49,290 | $52,330 |
Where Indiana pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Indiana median with its own national median shows where Indiana's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Indiana jobs, the largest premium is for pipelayers: a median of $75,320 in Indiana versus $48,710 nationally, 54.6% higher. The largest discount is for physical scientists, all other, at $64,300 in Indiana versus $117,960 nationally, 45.5% lower. In total, 91 of the 382 occupations with 1,000 or more Indiana jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 225 of the 739 occupations published for Indiana have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Indiana's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Indiana median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pipelayers | $75,320 | $48,710 | +54.6% |
| Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $73,540 | $52,540 | +40.0% |
| Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | $75,630 | $55,770 | +35.6% |
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | $61,350 | $45,680 | +34.3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $77,720 | $58,610 | +32.6% |
| Information Security Analysts | $78,290 | $124,910 | -37.3% |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $63,570 | $103,650 | -38.7% |
| Managers, All Other | $79,080 | $136,550 | -42.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $88,610 | $161,180 | -45.0% |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $64,300 | $117,960 | -45.5% |
Indiana salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Indiana?
By average pay, cardiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Indiana, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Indiana?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Indiana, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $28,290 across 101,500 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 739 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Indiana have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Indiana, with an estimated 101,500 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $28,200.
Which occupations pay more in Indiana than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Indiana jobs, pipelayers shows the largest premium: a median of $75,320 in Indiana versus $48,710 nationally, 54.6% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.