Physician assistant salary in Indiana
Indiana physician assistants earn a median of $132,050 a year ($63.49 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 3% below the national median of $135,880, and ranks 35th of 51 states.
Median, Indiana
$132,050
Mean $144,260
Middle half earns
$123,220 to $166,230
US: $120,670 to $163,980
Employed in Indiana
2,110
0.63x the national concentration
Where Indiana sits in the range
Indiana
Statewide
United States
National
Chicago
Metro area
Cincinnati
Metro area
Indianapolis
Metro area
Louisville/Jefferson County
Metro area
Physician assistant pay by percentile
Ten percent of Indiana physician assistants earned less than $105,810 and ten percent earned more than $196,280, a spread of $90,470. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Indiana | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $105,810 | $99,380 | +6.5% |
| 25th | $123,220 | $120,670 | +2.1% |
| Median | $132,050 | $135,880 | -2.8% |
| 75th | $166,230 | $163,980 | +1.4% |
| 90th | $196,280 | $190,280 | +3.2% |
Physician assistant pay by metro area
BLS published PA pay for 11 metro areas that include part of Indiana. Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN has the highest median at $133,060. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-INmoderate precision | 3,050 | $127,940 | $122,780 to $145,600 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 920 | $128,520 | $98,640 to $145,710 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 700 | $131,950 | $125,360 to $153,580 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-INmoderate precision | 380 | $130,830 | $109,970 to $138,180 |
| Fort Wayne, INmoderate precision | 240 | $131,400 | $122,480 to $173,230 |
| Evansville, INmoderate precision | 120 | $123,410 | $109,690 to $153,550 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MImoderate precision | 100 | $129,620 | $121,590 to $172,960 |
| Columbus, INmoderate precision | 60 | $124,460 | $122,560 to $153,910 |
| Bloomington, INmoderate precision | 60 | $123,860 | $109,340 to $130,640 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 50 | $133,060 | $123,210 to $166,190 |
| Terre Haute, INmoderate precision | 40 | $109,950 | $79,670 to $132,410 |
How PA pay compares with other clinicians in Indiana
| Occupation | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Physician assistant | $132,050 | $135,880 |
| Nurse practitioner | $128,830 | $132,300 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | not published | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $83,500 | $97,550 |
The Indiana PA workforce
BLS counts 2,110 physician assistants on Indiana payrolls, or 0.66 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, less concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 2,892 physician assistants with a Indiana practice address, and 193 new PA NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $123,220, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Indiana physician assistants earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $166,230, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about PA pay in Indiana
How much does a PA make in Indiana?
The median annual wage for physician assistants in Indiana was $132,050 in May 2025, and the mean was $144,260, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $123,220 and $166,230.
What is the hourly rate for physician assistants in Indiana?
The median hourly wage was $63.49 and the mean was $69.36. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do PAs earn the most in Indiana?
Among Indiana metro areas with published data, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN had the highest median at $133,060, and Terre Haute, IN the lowest at $109,950.
How does Indiana rank for PA pay?
Indiana ranks 35th of 51 states (including DC) by median PA pay, 3% below the national median of $135,880. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many physician assistants work in Indiana?
BLS estimated 2,110 physician assistants employed in Indiana in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 2,892 with a Indiana practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1071, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.