$2,100–$3,200/wk — IU Health, Riley Hospital, Eskenazi, Parkview
16+
IU Health Hospitals
NLC
Compact Member State
Level IV
Riley Hospital NICU
3.05%
Flat State Income Tax
Indiana is a full Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state. Travel nurses holding a multistate compact license from their home state can begin practicing in Indiana immediately — no separate Indiana RN license required, no waiting period.
The NLC eliminates one of the biggest friction points in travel nursing: license delays. For Indiana assignments, compact licensees can accept contracts and start within the standard credentialing window without any additional state licensing processing time.
CatSol handles license verification and compact status confirmation at no charge to candidates.
Indiana levies a flat 3.05% state income tax — the 4th lowest in the United States. For travel nurses on high weekly packages, the difference in state tax between Indiana and neighboring states translates to meaningful additional take-home pay each week.
| State | Rate |
|---|---|
| ★Indiana | 3.05% |
| Ohio | 3.99% |
| Michigan | 4.25% |
| Kentucky | 4.50% |
| Illinois | 4.95% |
| Kansas | 5.70% |
On a $2,800/wk package with $1,200 taxable weekly base:
County tax note: Some Indiana counties charge additional local income tax (0.5–3.0%). Ask CatSol about county-specific rates for your facility location before accepting an offer.
Travel nurse stipends (housing, meals, incidentals) are tax-free under IRS guidance when you maintain a valid tax home. The taxable base referenced above represents only the hourly wage portion of your package. CatSol structures packages to maximize your take-home pay within IRS guidelines.
Indiana University Health spans 16+ hospitals statewide — the largest healthcare system in Indiana, employing 35,000+ people and anchored by the IU School of Medicine.
Riley Hospital for Children is Indiana's only nationally ranked children's hospital, housing a Level IV AAP-designated NICU — the highest acuity classification — with ECMO and neonatal cardiac surgery.
Indiana is a full Nurse Licensure Compact member. Your multistate compact license allows immediate practice. Non-compact nurses: IN endorsement takes approximately 3–5 weeks.
Indiana's flat 3.05% income tax is one of the most competitive in the Midwest — lower than Ohio (3.99%), Michigan (4.25%), Kentucky (4.5%), and Illinois (4.95%).
Rural southern Indiana counties are among the top overdose hotspots nationally. Opioid crisis ICU and ED demand is year-round, with shortage premiums of $200–$400/wk above Indianapolis rates.
Indianapolis, IN
Specialties: MICU, SICU, CVICU, ED, Cardiac
Notes: IU Health flagship academic medical center. Centralized credentialing: 2–4 weeks.
$2,600–$3,200/wk
Apply NowIndianapolis, IN
Specialties: NICU, PICU, Pediatric Specialties
Notes: Nationally ranked. RNC-NIC required for NICU. 2+ years Level III minimum.
$2,700–$3,200/wk
Apply NowIndianapolis, IN
Specialties: MICU, Burn ICU, ED, Opioid Crisis ICU
Notes: Safety-net academic medical center. High opioid crisis ICU demand.
$2,300–$2,800/wk
Apply NowFort Wayne, IN
Specialties: MICU, Cardiac, Med-Surg
Notes: Largest employer in northeast Indiana. Regional hub for Allen County.
$2,200–$2,700/wk
Apply NowIndianapolis, IN
Specialties: Med-Surg, ICU, Tele, ED
Notes: Large Indianapolis community hospital system across multiple campuses.
$2,100–$2,600/wk
Apply Now| Market | Facility Level | Weekly Pay Range |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis — IU Health / Riley | Level I Trauma / Level IV NICU | $2,600–$3,200/wk |
| Indianapolis — Eskenazi / Community | Level I Trauma / Community | $2,300–$2,800/wk |
| Fort Wayne — Parkview Health | Level II Trauma | $2,200–$2,700/wk |
| South Bend — Beacon Health / St. Joseph | Regional Medical Center | $2,100–$2,600/wk |
| Evansville — Ascension St. Vincent / Deaconess | Community Hospital System | $2,100–$2,600/wk |
| Rural IN Critical Access | Critical Access + Opioid Premium | $2,200–$2,700/wk |
Pay ranges are all-in weekly package estimates (wages + tax-free stipends) for 36-hour contracts. Actual packages vary by specialty, shift, and facility. Data: April 2026.
Shortage Callout — High Demand, Limited Listings
Indiana is experiencing active travel nurse shortages at IU Health, Riley Hospital, and Eskenazi Health. Many positions are filled through direct outreach before appearing in public listings. Contact CatSol to access unpublished Indiana openings.
Get Unpublished Indiana JobsIndiana University Health (IU Health) is Indiana's largest healthcare system with 16+ hospitals across the state, employing over 35,000 people. The IU Health system serves as the primary clinical training environment for Indiana University School of Medicine — the largest medical school in the United States by enrollment — making IU Health a uniquely research-active and academically rigorous environment for travel nurses.
Travel nurses entering the IU Health system go through IU Health's centralized credentialing process, which typically takes 2–4 weeks from document submission to clinical clearance. CatSol coordinates the full credentialing packet including license verification, immunization records, skills checklists, and drug screening.
Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis operates one of the largest and most comprehensive children's hospitals in the Midwest. Riley's NICU carries Level IV AAP designation — the highest acuity classification — with full neonatal subspecialty coverage that includes neonatal cardiac surgery, ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), neonatal neurocritical care, complex neonatal surgery, and care for extreme prematurity (22–24 weeks gestational age).
As a nationally ranked children's hospital (US News & World Report), Riley is Indiana's top travel NICU destination and one of the premier pediatric travel assignments in the Midwest. The facility is a research-active environment as an IU School of Medicine affiliate, which means travel nurses work alongside fellows, residents, and subspecialty attendings in a high-acuity academic setting.
Pay: $2,700–$3,200/wk
Riley NICU assignments are among the highest-paying travel NICU positions in Indiana. Pay varies by shift (nights command premium), experience level, and specific unit acuity within the NICU.
Browse All NICU JobsIndiana is among the top-10 hardest-hit states in the US opioid epidemic. Rural Indiana counties — Jackson, Washington, Scott, Lawrence, and Orange in southern Indiana; Wells, Grant, and Madison in central Indiana — have among the highest overdose death rates in the nation.
The clinical pathway from opioid overdose to ICU admission is direct: respiratory failure from opioid-induced respiratory depression requires ventilator management, often accompanied by aspiration pneumonia, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury. This creates sustained year-round ICU and ED volume at rural Indiana hospitals that shows no decline trajectory.
Rural southern Indiana critical access hospitals and regional medical centers face persistent travel nurse shortages in ICU and ED — shortages that predate the opioid crisis and have been intensified by it. These facilities offer shortage premiums of $200–$400/wk above Indianapolis community hospital rates to attract and retain travel staff.
Southern Indiana
Central Indiana
Travel ICU and ED nurses in rural southern Indiana earn shortage premiums of $200–$400/wk above Indianapolis community hospital rates.
Rural IN Critical Access assignments: $2,200–$2,700/wk all-in, with the premium baked into the package rate.
Find Rural Indiana ICU & ED JobsYes. Indiana is a full Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member state. If you hold a multistate compact license from your home state, you can practice in Indiana immediately without obtaining a separate Indiana license. Non-compact nurses must apply for Indiana RN endorsement, which typically takes 3–5 weeks.
Travel nurses at IU Health Methodist and Riley Hospital earn $2,600–$3,200/wk depending on specialty. NICU and CVICU assignments at Riley typically command the top of that range. IU Health uses centralized credentialing across the system, which takes 2–4 weeks after submission.
Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis operates Indiana's flagship Level IV NICU — the highest AAP designation — with full subspecialty coverage including ECMO, neonatal cardiac surgery, neonatal neurocritical care, and complex neonatal surgery. RNC-NIC certification and a minimum of 2 years Level III NICU experience are required for travel NICU assignments at Riley.
Indiana's flat 3.05% state income tax is one of the lowest in the Midwest — the 4th lowest in the US. On a $2,800/wk package with a $1,200 taxable base, Indiana state tax is approximately $37/wk. Compare: Ohio 3.99%, Michigan 4.25%, Kentucky 4.5%, Illinois 4.95%, Kansas 5.7%. Note that some Indiana counties charge additional local income tax (0.5–3.0%); CatSol can advise on county-specific rates for your facility location.
In-demand travel specialties in Indiana include: Level IV NICU (Riley Hospital), MICU/SICU/CVICU (IU Health Methodist), ICU and ED demand driven by the opioid crisis (rural southern Indiana), Burn ICU (Eskenazi Health), and pediatric specialties (Riley PICU). Opioid crisis ICU and ED demand creates year-round openings at rural Indiana facilities.
In addition to Indiana's 3.05% flat state income tax, most Indiana counties levy a local income tax ranging from 0.5% to 3.0%. The county tax is based on where you work, not where you live during your assignment. High-county-tax areas include Marion County (Indianapolis) at approximately 2.02% and Allen County (Fort Wayne) at approximately 1.48%. CatSol will provide a facility-specific net pay estimate that includes both state and county tax for your assignment location.
IU Health, Riley Hospital, Eskenazi Health, Parkview, and rural Indiana shortage positions. NLC Compact. 3.05% flat tax. $2,100–$3,200/wk. CatSol places travel nurses across Indiana — let us match you to the right facility.
No recruiter pressure. Transparent pay packages. CatSol places travel nurses in Indiana and 45+ states.