Indiana RN Salary - How Much Do RNs Make in IN?

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average RN salary in Indiana was $57,370 as of May 2018. This is associated with an average hourly wage of about $27.58. This is much lower than the average earnings for registered nurses nationally, at $65,470 a year or $31.48 hourly. Consistent with the lower wages, the cost of living in Indiana is lower as well. Living expenses in Indiana are about ten percent below the national average according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). The organization ranked Indiana as having the seventh lowest cost of living in the nation.

As of May 2018, Indiana employed about 59,730 registered nurses. More than a third of these were employed in the Indianapolis-Carmel area. Approximately 21,540 nurses worked in this metropolitan area. The average salary was $61,080. Though this is higher than the average RN salary in Indiana as a whole, living in these areas is also more expensive. The cost of living in the state capital, Indianapolis, is 8.5 percent lower than the national average and about 1.5 percent higher than the average for the state, according to Forbes.

The highest RN salary in Indiana can be found in the Gary, IN Metropolitan Division. Here, the median salary for registered nurses is $63,240. In 2018, RNs with earnings in the top tenth percentile made $81,420 or more in this city. Those above the 75th percentile earn over $72,530. Those with salaries below the 25th percentile made less than $53,800, and those in the bottom tenth percentile made under $46,890.

The cities with the lowest RN salary in Indiana are Evansville and Fort Wayne. These cities have average RN salaries just over $50,000. To maximize earning potential in any location, registered nurses should take advantage of continuing education opportunities and focus on gaining valuable nursing experience. Additional certifications are also available in specialized areas that will help RNs to advance their careers and their earning potential.

Resources

• https://meric.mo.gov/data/cost-living-data-series