Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Indiana

Each occupation's median wage in Indiana compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Indiana pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Indiana run 6.7% below the national average (2024), so a Indiana salary is worth about 1.07× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Indiana.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Indiana

OccupationMedian, Indiana · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$366,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$130,110 – $462,610+37.7%
2Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$79,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,630 – $98,850+33.0%
3Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$61,760
Bachelor's degree
$28,360 – $107,210+30.5%
4Insulation Workers, Mechanical$72,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,740 – $94,990+23.8%
5Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$57,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,760 – $59,750+23.4%
6General Internal Medicine Physicians$314,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$177,830 – $504,870+22.5%
7Production Workers, All Other$48,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,560 – $77,620+20.3%
8Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $102,520+19.6%
9Chief Executives$254,180
Bachelor's degree
$97,340 – $494,080+18.8%
10Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$58,900
No formal educational credential
$36,000 – $64,680+18.5%
11Brickmasons and Blockmasons$73,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,760 – $90,020+17.7%
12Millwrights$77,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,600 – $95,960+17.4%
13Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,680 – $68,580+17.2%
14Locomotive Engineers$92,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,830 – $129,020+14.0%
15Financial Specialists, All Other$92,410
Bachelor's degree
$55,290 – $132,510+13.9%
16Information and Record Clerks, All Other$56,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,090 – $84,990+13.8%
17Structural Iron and Steel Workers$70,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,720 – $98,840+11.7%
18Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$42,450
No formal educational credential
$36,680 – $45,000+10.8%
19First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$61,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,810 – $93,570+10.0%
20Slaughterers and Meat Packers$43,770
No formal educational credential
$36,430 – $48,300+9.1%
21Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians$56,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,580 – $76,910+9.1%
22Electricians$68,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,190 – $99,310+8.4%
23Helpers--Production Workers$42,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,270 – $50,740+8.0%
24Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$61,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,940 – $90,350+7.8%
25Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,270
No formal educational credential
$44,680 – $76,850+7.5%
26Family Medicine Physicians$261,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,860 – $468,430+7.3%
27Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$58,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,190 – $65,420+7.1%
28Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,290 – $116,720+7.0%
29Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$60,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,120 – $78,020+6.9%
30Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,380
Associate's degree
$38,930 – $104,130+6.8%
31Construction Laborers$50,070
No formal educational credential
$36,570 – $74,740+6.3%
32First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$62,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $89,950+6.2%
33Tool and Die Makers$68,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,810 – $92,940+6.2%
34Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$102,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,800 – $173,770+5.9%
35Firefighters$62,780
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,460 – $81,890+5.9%
36Butchers and Meat Cutters$42,440
No formal educational credential
$31,510 – $56,770+5.7%
37Glaziers$60,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,820 – $75,360+5.5%
38Power Plant Operators$107,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,700 – $123,540+4.9%
39Commercial and Industrial Designers$88,040
Bachelor's degree
$56,850 – $117,750+4.9%
40Sewing Machine Operators$38,440
No formal educational credential
$30,060 – $51,180+4.8%
41Medical Equipment Repairers$64,590
Associate's degree
$40,540 – $98,260+4.8%
42Roofers$57,980
No formal educational credential
$39,830 – $89,240+4.6%
43Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,600 – $65,590+4.6%
44Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,490 – $61,050+4.6%
45Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$81,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,240 – $96,820+4.2%
46Surveying and Mapping Technicians$56,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,470 – $75,110+4.1%
47Carpenters$62,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,510 – $90,700+3.8%
48Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,220
Associate's degree
$49,610 – $99,380+3.6%
49Sheet Metal Workers$64,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,620 – $104,080+3.6%
50Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,890 – $60,620+3.6%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianIndiana	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$366,190	$130,110 – $462,610	+37.7%
2	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,580	$47,630 – $98,850	+33.0%
3	Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc JockeysBachelor's degree	$61,760	$28,360 – $107,210	+30.5%
4	Insulation Workers, MechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,220	$46,740 – $94,990	+23.8%
5	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,210	$39,760 – $59,750	+23.4%
6	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$314,390	$177,830 – $504,870	+22.5%
7	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,260	$35,560 – $77,620	+20.3%
8	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,320	$46,890 – $102,520	+19.6%
9	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$254,180	$97,340 – $494,080	+18.8%
10	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$58,900	$36,000 – $64,680	+18.5%
11	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,110	$46,760 – $90,020	+17.7%
12	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,140	$48,600 – $95,960	+17.4%
13	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$40,680 – $68,580	+17.2%
14	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,790	$62,830 – $129,020	+14.0%
15	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,410	$55,290 – $132,510	+13.9%
16	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,310	$35,090 – $84,990	+13.8%
17	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,130	$45,720 – $98,840	+11.7%
18	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$42,450	$36,680 – $45,000	+10.8%
19	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,520	$35,810 – $93,570	+10.0%
20	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$43,770	$36,430 – $48,300	+9.1%
21	Recreational Vehicle Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,750	$27,580 – $76,910	+9.1%
22	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,490	$43,190 – $99,310	+8.4%
23	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,210	$31,270 – $50,740	+8.0%
24	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,910	$48,940 – $90,350	+7.8%
25	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,270	$44,680 – $76,850	+7.5%
26	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$261,940	$111,860 – $468,430	+7.3%
27	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,300	$42,190 – $65,420	+7.1%
28	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,040	$53,290 – $116,720	+7.0%
29	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,460	$39,120 – $78,020	+6.9%
30	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,380	$38,930 – $104,130	+6.8%
31	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$50,070	$36,570 – $74,740	+6.3%
32	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,040	$40,750 – $89,950	+6.2%
33	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,050	$46,810 – $92,940	+6.2%
34	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,660	$60,800 – $173,770	+5.9%
35	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,780	$38,460 – $81,890	+5.9%
36	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$42,440	$31,510 – $56,770	+5.7%
37	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,210	$44,820 – $75,360	+5.5%
38	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,000	$76,700 – $123,540	+4.9%
39	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$88,040	$56,850 – $117,750	+4.9%
40	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$38,440	$30,060 – $51,180	+4.8%
41	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$64,590	$40,540 – $98,260	+4.8%
42	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$57,980	$39,830 – $89,240	+4.6%
43	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,990	$40,600 – $65,590	+4.6%
44	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,320	$36,490 – $61,050	+4.6%
45	Railroad Conductors and YardmastersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,260	$64,240 – $96,820	+4.2%
46	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,440	$37,470 – $75,110	+4.1%
47	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,870	$45,510 – $90,700	+3.8%
48	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,220	$49,610 – $99,380	+3.6%
49	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,040	$42,620 – $104,080	+3.6%
50	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,420	$37,890 – $60,620	+3.6%

More for Indiana

Metro areas in Indiana

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Indiana

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Indiana to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Indiana

More for Indiana

Metro areas in Indiana

By field in Indiana

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state