Registered Nurses salary in Indianapolis, IN
Median pay for registered nurses in Indianapolis, IN: $80,290/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $62,930 – $103,710 · about 26,510 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($80,810) by −$520 (-1%).
What it's really worth in Indianapolis
With Indianapolis's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $80,290 has the buying power of about $84,828 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $73,571 · median home $295,921 · median rent $1,553/mo.
How Indianapolis ranks for this job
On raw pay, Indianapolis, IN is 104th of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Indianapolis's cost of living is applied, it ranks 115th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Indianapolis sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Indianapolis
A median home in Indianapolis, IN costs $295,921 — about 3.7× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,553/mo works out at 23% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Indianapolis.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Indianapolis | Rent vs Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +133% | 1.5× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +126% | 2.1× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +123% | 2.3× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +97% | 1.5× |
Same job elsewhere in IN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Indianapolis | Rent vs Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend, IN | $90,140 | +12% | 0.9× |
| Evansville, IN | $78,190 | −3% | 0.7× |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $74,730 | −7% | 0.8× |
Staying in IN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Indianapolis
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Indiana University · Education
- Baptist Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Indianapolis
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.