What does a Registered Nurse salary really buy you in Indiana?
Indiana is 8.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Indiana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.8, meaning prices are 8.2% lower the national average. A Registered Nurse earning $80,740 in Indiana has the equivalent purchasing power of $87,952 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) | $63,720 | $69,411 | +$5,691 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $74,690 | $81,361 | +$6,671 |
| Median (P50) | $80,740 | $87,952 | +$7,212 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $96,780 | $105,424 | +$8,644 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $103,820 | $113,093 | +$9,273 |
A Registered Nurse in Indiana earns $80,740 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $87,952 in an average-cost state. This makes Indiana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Registered Nurse salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Indiana ranks #34 out of 50 states for Registered Nurse after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Registered Nurse in Indiana earns a median salary of $80,740 per year. After adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (RPP=91.8), the real purchasing power is $87,952 — 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 Registered Nurse in Indiana: $80,740 x (100 / 91.8) = $87,952. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Registered Nurse 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.