Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN

Each occupation's median wage in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN run 4.3% below the national average (2024), so a Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN salary is worth about 1.04× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN

OccupationMedian, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN · vs. national

1Pipelayers$74,180
No formal educational credential
$38,400 – $95,180+51.4%
2Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$82,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,650 – $97,130+37.3%
3Physicians, All Other$364,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$134,180 – $437,100+36.9%
4Insulation Workers, Mechanical$74,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,630 – $98,060+28.3%
5Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$57,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,600 – $59,750+24.0%
6Millwrights$79,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,440 – $95,960+20.9%
7Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,740 – $102,370+20.7%
8Information and Record Clerks, All Other$59,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,880 – $89,610+20.7%
9Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$59,710
No formal educational credential
$39,420 – $63,260+20.2%
10Chief Executives$256,320
Bachelor's degree
$97,840 – $511,000+19.8%
11Family Medicine Physicians$287,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$137,750 – $509,200+17.6%
12Financial Specialists, All Other$95,410
Bachelor's degree
$60,490 – $127,630+17.6%
13Brickmasons and Blockmasons$72,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,280 – $87,460+17.1%
14First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$65,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $93,460+16.3%
15Air Traffic Controllers$171,910
Associate's degree
$104,780 – $204,210+16.1%
16Firefighters$68,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,410 – $89,060+15.5%
17General and Operations Managers$120,480
Bachelor's degree
$57,710 – $283,140+13.9%
18General Internal Medicine Physicians$289,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$177,830 – $504,870+12.8%
19Directors, Religious Activities and Education$58,490
Bachelor's degree
$48,090 – $91,700+12.3%
20Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,230 – $58,450+12.2%
21Structural Iron and Steel Workers$70,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,320 – $97,600+11.7%
22Surgeons, All Other$459,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$91,020 – $508,260+10.9%
23Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$105,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,110 – $115,290+10.5%
24Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,180
No formal educational credential
$31,500 – $50,450+9.8%
25Glaziers$62,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,830 – $74,560+9.4%
26Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$60,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,960 – $79,040+9.3%
27Food Service Managers$75,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,640 – $100,480+9.1%
28Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$83,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,280 – $111,990+9.1%
29Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,110
No formal educational credential
$44,670 – $76,290+8.9%
30Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$55,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,670 – $69,140+8.6%
31Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$80,720
Associate's degree
$43,340 – $104,800+8.6%
32Surveying and Mapping Technicians$58,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,660 – $81,680+8.5%
33Construction Laborers$51,040
No formal educational credential
$37,520 – $71,260+8.3%
34Administrative Services Managers$123,520
Bachelor's degree
$70,190 – $209,700+8.2%
35Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$48,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,240 – $61,030+7.5%
36First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$74,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,860 – $107,350+7.5%
37Carpenters$65,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,940 – $88,570+7.4%
38Pharmacists$151,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,950 – $170,110+7.2%
39Skincare Specialists$48,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,710 – $77,840+7.1%
40First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$52,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,090 – $76,470+7.0%
41Butchers and Meat Cutters$42,950
No formal educational credential
$32,210 – $55,550+7.0%
42Medical Equipment Repairers$65,870
Associate's degree
$44,800 – $98,260+6.8%
43First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$85,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,730 – $117,800+6.7%
44Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,400
Associate's degree
$54,240 – $90,430+6.6%
45First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$62,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,360 – $93,270+6.5%
46Sheet Metal Workers$65,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,370 – $98,020+6.5%
47Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$41,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,600 – $51,500+6.4%
48Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$52,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,280 – $74,450+5.8%
49First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$98,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,560 – $122,360+5.7%
50Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$61,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,230 – $82,540+5.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianIndianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	PipelayersNo formal educational credential	$74,180	$38,400 – $95,180	+51.4%
2	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,190	$49,650 – $97,130	+37.3%
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$364,040	$134,180 – $437,100	+36.9%
4	Insulation Workers, MechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,840	$48,630 – $98,060	+28.3%
5	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,510	$48,600 – $59,750	+24.0%
6	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,420	$52,440 – $95,960	+20.9%
7	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,980	$46,740 – $102,370	+20.7%
8	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,730	$38,880 – $89,610	+20.7%
9	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$59,710	$39,420 – $63,260	+20.2%
10	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$256,320	$97,840 – $511,000	+19.8%
11	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$287,130	$137,750 – $509,200	+17.6%
12	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,410	$60,490 – $127,630	+17.6%
13	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,770	$49,280 – $87,460	+17.1%
14	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,060	$35,480 – $93,460	+16.3%
15	Air Traffic ControllersAssociate's degree	$171,910	$104,780 – $204,210	+16.1%
16	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,480	$43,410 – $89,060	+15.5%
17	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,480	$57,710 – $283,140	+13.9%
18	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$289,470	$177,830 – $504,870	+12.8%
19	Directors, Religious Activities and EducationBachelor's degree	$58,490	$48,090 – $91,700	+12.3%
20	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,890	$46,230 – $58,450	+12.2%
21	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,140	$46,320 – $97,600	+11.7%
22	Surgeons, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$459,300	$91,020 – $508,260	+10.9%
23	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,300	$52,110 – $115,290	+10.5%
24	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,180	$31,500 – $50,450	+9.8%
25	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,470	$44,830 – $74,560	+9.4%
26	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,730	$38,960 – $79,040	+9.3%
27	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,730	$41,640 – $100,480	+9.1%
28	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,110	$60,280 – $111,990	+9.1%
29	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,110	$44,670 – $76,290	+8.9%
30	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,750	$42,670 – $69,140	+8.6%
31	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,720	$43,340 – $104,800	+8.6%
32	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,850	$38,660 – $81,680	+8.5%
33	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$51,040	$37,520 – $71,260	+8.3%
34	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,520	$70,190 – $209,700	+8.2%
35	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,650	$37,240 – $61,030	+7.5%
36	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,680	$46,860 – $107,350	+7.5%
37	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,070	$46,940 – $88,570	+7.4%
38	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$151,050	$111,950 – $170,110	+7.2%
39	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,530	$27,710 – $77,840	+7.1%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,520	$37,090 – $76,470	+7.0%
41	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$42,950	$32,210 – $55,550	+7.0%
42	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$65,870	$44,800 – $98,260	+6.8%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,300	$59,730 – $117,800	+6.7%
44	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,400	$54,240 – $90,430	+6.6%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,210	$40,360 – $93,270	+6.5%
46	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,840	$46,370 – $98,020	+6.5%
47	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,800	$29,600 – $51,500	+6.4%
48	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,070	$39,280 – $74,450	+5.8%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$98,890	$61,560 – $122,360	+5.7%
50	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,980	$43,230 – $82,540	+5.7%

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