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What does a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary really buy you in Indiana?
Indiana is 8.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Indiana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.8, meaning prices are 8.2% lower the national average. A Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earning $79,580 in Indiana has the equivalent purchasing power of $86,688 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Indiana's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $47,630 | $51,884 | +$4,254 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $58,240 | $63,442 | +$5,202 |
| Median (P50) | $79,580 | $86,688 | +$7,108 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $93,300 | $101,633 | +$8,333 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $98,850 | $107,679 | +$8,829 |
A Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Indiana earns $79,580 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $86,688 in an average-cost state. This makes Indiana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Indiana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 91.8 means a basket of goods and services costs about 8.2% less than the national average. For a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
After applying Indiana's RPP, the $79,580 median salary translates to $86,688 in real terms — a 8.9% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, Indiana places #3 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Indiana ranks #3 out of 51 states for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators take-home pay in Indiana after taxes →
A Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Indiana earns a median salary of $79,580 per year. After adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (RPP=91.8), the real purchasing power is $86,688 — a +8.9% difference.
Indiana's cost of living is 8.2% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Indiana is 91.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Indiana: $79,580 x (100 / 91.8) = $86,688. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Indiana enjoys 8.9% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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