Highest-paying jobs in Indianapolis
The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.
Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation's primary inflation indicator.
While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.
The highest earners in the U.S. are what you'd expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor's degree, and many require a master's, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.
Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Indianapolis. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $100,350
- Median hourly wage: $48.25
- Total employment: 19,890 people (18.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 300 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,840
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 490 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $101,860
- Median hourly wage: $48.97
- Total employment: 630 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $102,060
- Median hourly wage: $49.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,260
- Median hourly wage: $49.16
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $102,320
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 2,020 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $102,420
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 360 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,750
- Median hourly wage: $49.40
- Total employment: 2,360 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $103,810
- Median hourly wage: $49.91
- Total employment: 290 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $104,060
- Median hourly wage: $50.03
- Total employment: 560 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $104,070
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 1,590 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $104,130
- Median hourly wage: $50.06
- Total employment: 1,400 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $104,600
- Median hourly wage: $50.29
- Total employment: 6,960 people (6.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $104,640
- Median hourly wage: $50.31
- Total employment: 230 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $107,820
- Median hourly wage: $51.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $107,980
- Median hourly wage: $51.91
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $109,800
- Median hourly wage: $52.79
- Total employment: 290 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $109,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $112,010
- Median hourly wage: $53.85
- Total employment: 610 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $115,070
- Median hourly wage: $55.32
- Total employment: 420 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $117,030
- Median hourly wage: $56.26
- Total employment: 3,200 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $123,920
- Median hourly wage: $59.58
- Total employment: 2,280 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,320
- Median hourly wage: $60.73
- Total employment: 1,510 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $127,700
- Median hourly wage: $61.39
- Total employment: 2,830 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,610
- Median hourly wage: $62.31
- Total employment: 980 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $129,650
- Median hourly wage: $62.33
- Total employment: 4,340 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $130,470
- Median hourly wage: $62.73
- Total employment: 4,510 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $130,670
- Median hourly wage: $62.82
- Total employment: 3,380 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $131,770
- Median hourly wage: $63.35
- Total employment: 1,220 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $133,260
- Median hourly wage: $64.07
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $157,350
- Median hourly wage: $75.65
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $159,490
- Median hourly wage: $76.68
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $161,450
- Median hourly wage: $77.62
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $168,760
- Median hourly wage: $81.13
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $170,240
- Median hourly wage: $81.84
- Total employment: Not available
#13. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $206,960
- Median hourly wage: $99.50
- Total employment: 520 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $209,060
- Median hourly wage: $100.51
- Total employment: 410 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $224,990
- Median hourly wage: $108.17
- Total employment: 420 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 230 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 430 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 1,220 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 260 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 420 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 3,480 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 120 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 300 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
