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What does a Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earning $83,500 in Indiana has the equivalent purchasing power of $90,958 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) | $66,750 | $72,712 | +$5,962 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $78,750 | $85,784 | +$7,034 |
| Median (P50) | $83,500 | $90,958 | +$7,458 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $100,410 | $109,379 | +$8,969 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $105,750 | $115,196 | +$9,446 |
A Registered Nurses in Indiana earns $83,500 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $90,958 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 Registered Nurses, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
After applying Indiana's RPP, the $83,500 median salary translates to $90,959 in real terms — a 8.9% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Registered Nurses.
Indiana's rank of #34 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Registered Nurses trails the national half-way line.
Where does Registered Nurses salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Indiana ranks #34 out of 51 states for Registered Nurses after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Registered Nurses take-home pay in Indiana after taxes →
A Registered Nurses in Indiana earns a median salary of $83,500 per year. After adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (RPP=91.8), the real purchasing power is $90,958 — 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 Nurses in Indiana: $83,500 x (100 / 91.8) = $90,958. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Registered Nurses 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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