Riley Hospital for Children — a top-10 pediatric OT destination nationally. Eskenazi Level I trauma hand therapy, IU Health Methodist stroke and TBI OT, Parkview Fort Wayne, and rural school IEP OT shortage. Indiana's 3.05% flat tax is the lowest in the Midwest.
Indiana is working toward OTLC compact membership; verify the current status at otcompact.org before accepting an Indiana OT assignment. Compact status can change as legislation advances. If Indiana has not yet joined, standard Indiana OT license endorsement applies.
Indiana's 3.05% flat income tax rate is the lowest of any Midwestern state. For travel OTs comparing assignment markets across the region, the tax differential is a meaningful factor in take-home pay. Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin all carry higher rates.
| State | Income Tax Rate | vs. Indiana (on $1,000/wk taxable) |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 3.05% flat | — ($30.50/wk) |
| Ohio | Graduated, up to 3.99% | OH costs ~$9.90/wk more |
| Kentucky | 4.5% flat | KY costs ~$14.50/wk more |
| Illinois | 4.95% flat | IL costs ~$19.00/wk more |
| Michigan | 4.25% flat | MI costs ~$12.00/wk more |
| Wisconsin | Graduated, up to 7.65% | WI costs up to ~$46/wk more |
Example: $2,400/wk IN OT Package
Typical OT package structure: ~$1,000 taxable weekly wage + tax-free stipends. Indiana state income tax on the $1,000 taxable base = approximately $30.50/week. Compare to Wisconsin at up to $76.50/week on the same base — a savings of over $46/week, or more than $2,300 on a 50-week year.
Five reasons Indiana ranks as a strong travel OT market in the Midwest.
Riley Hospital for Children (IU Health Indianapolis) is a nationally ranked top-10 children's hospital. Travel OTs gain elite pediatric experience in feeding therapy, sensory integration, NICU follow-up OT, and AAC device training.
Indiana's 3.05% flat income tax is the lowest of any Midwestern state. Travel OTs keep significantly more per paycheck compared to Illinois (4.95%), Michigan (4.25%), Wisconsin (up to 7.65%), or Ohio (up to 3.99%).
Eskenazi Health is Indianapolis's safety-net Level I trauma center. Complex trauma hand therapy, amputee prosthetic training, burn OT, and post-OD cognitive rehabilitation make this a career-defining Midwest assignment.
Indiana has 290+ school districts with IEP-mandated OT and an acute shortage in rural southern Indiana. School-based OT travel contracts offer consistent demand, IDEA compliance work, and autism spectrum OT support.
Indiana's opioid crisis has created sustained demand for post-OD cognitive rehabilitation OT — executive function retraining, memory OT, and ADL recovery through IU Health and Eskenazi SUD programs.
Where Indiana's highest-paying and most specialized travel OT assignments are concentrated.
Riley Hospital for Children is one of the top-10 children's hospitals nationally (US News). It is the premier pediatric OT destination in Indiana and one of the strongest pediatric OT assignments in the Midwest. High demand for pediatric OT specialists with feeding therapy or sensory integration backgrounds.
Eskenazi Health is Indianapolis's Level I trauma center and primary safety-net hospital. For travel OTs, Eskenazi offers some of the most complex and varied trauma OT caseloads in Indiana, combined with post-OD cognitive rehabilitation through its nationally recognized substance use disorder programs.
IU Health Methodist is a major Indianapolis academic medical center with high-volume stroke, TBI, and cardiac OT programs. LVAD patient ADL training is a specialized skill that distinguishes Methodist from community hospital OT settings.
Parkview Regional Medical Center is the largest hospital in northeast Indiana and the regional Level II trauma center serving Fort Wayne and surrounding counties. Strong hand therapy and return-to-work OT programs draw travel therapists seeking orthopedic and occupational rehab experience.
Indiana has 290+ school districts with federally mandated IEP OT under IDEA. An acute shortage of school-based OTs in rural southern Indiana creates consistent travel OT demand. Autism spectrum OT support is the most in-demand specialty across Indiana school districts.
Weekly pay ranges reflect total package (taxable wages + tax-free housing/meals) for a 13-week contract. Actual rates vary by facility, shift, and specialty.
| Market / Setting | Weekly Pay Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Riley Hospital for Children — Pediatric OT | $1,950–$2,700/wk | Feeding therapy, sensory integration, NICU follow-up, AAC |
| Eskenazi Health — Trauma / Hand Therapy OT | $1,900–$2,600/wk | Level I trauma, amputee, burn OT, SUD cognitive rehab |
| IU Health Methodist — Stroke / TBI Acute OT | $1,900–$2,600/wk | Stroke cognitive retraining, LVAD ADL training, burn OT |
| Parkview Regional — NE Indiana OT | $1,850–$2,400/wk | Level II trauma, hand therapy, return-to-work programs |
| Indiana School-Based IEP OT | $1,700–$2,200/wk | IDEA-funded, autism support, acute rural shortage |
| Rural IN Shortage Markets | $1,800–$2,500/wk | Southern Indiana HPSA, Deaconess Evansville, home health |
Updated every 4 hours from live assignment data.
New Indiana OT assignments coming in daily
Our recruiters source IN OT positions directly. Contact us for unlisted Riley Hospital, Eskenazi, IU Health Methodist, and Parkview assignments.
Get Indiana OT JobsRiley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis is consistently ranked among the top 10 children's hospitals in the United States by US News & World Report. For travel occupational therapists, Riley represents one of the strongest pediatric OT placements available in the Midwest — with a breadth and complexity of pediatric caseloads rarely found outside of major academic children's medical centers.
Travel OTs at Riley work across feeding therapy, sensory integration, fine motor intervention, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device training, and NICU follow-up developmental OT. The autism spectrum disorder OT program at Riley is among the most comprehensive in Indiana. Pediatric OT specialists with feeding therapy or sensory integration certifications are in especially high demand.
Pay: $1,950–$2,700/wk | License: Indiana OT license or compact privilege (verify status at otcompact.org) | Experience: Pediatric OT with feeding therapy or SI background preferred for specialty units
Indiana has been significantly impacted by the national opioid crisis, creating sustained demand for a specialized OT role that is increasingly prevalent in the state: post-OD cognitive rehabilitation OT. Travel OTs in this specialty work on executive function retraining, memory rehabilitation, ADL recovery, and return-to-independence programming for patients recovering from opioid use disorder.
Both IU Health and Eskenazi Health operate recognized substance use disorder (SUD) recovery programs in Indianapolis where OT is integrated into the clinical team. For travel OTs with a background in cognitive rehabilitation or mental health OT, Indiana's SUD programs represent a growing and meaningful assignment niche.
IU Health SUD Programs
Post-OD cognitive rehab OT, executive function, memory
$1,900–$2,500/wk
Eskenazi Midtown Mental Health
SUD recovery OT, ADL training, independence programming
$1,900–$2,600/wk
Deaconess Health (Evansville)
Southern IN SUD rehab OT, home health OT, cardiac rehab
$1,800–$2,300/wk
Post-OD cognitive rehab OT in Indiana typically pays between $1,800–$2,600/wk depending on facility type, setting, and specialty background.
Indiana has over 290 school districts with IEP-mandated occupational therapy under IDEA. An acute shortage of school-based OTs — particularly in rural southern Indiana — creates consistent travel OT demand with competitive pay and a structured school-year schedule.
Rural southern Indiana counties — including Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin, and Pike — face the most acute school OT shortages in the state. These districts struggle to recruit permanent OT staff, creating year-round travel OT placement opportunities. Pay in these markets often carries a shortage premium above central Indianapolis rates.
School-based travel OT in Indiana offers IDEA-structured caseloads, IEP evaluation work, and consistent demand driven by federal compliance requirements. Autism spectrum disorder OT is the most in-demand specialty across Indiana school districts. Contracts typically follow the academic calendar with summer extension options.
Fort Wayne Community Schools and surrounding northeast Indiana districts also recruit travel OTs for IEP and autism support roles. Parkview Health's community OT programs in northeast Indiana complement school-based placements with outpatient and home health OT opportunities, giving travel OTs multiple concurrent or sequential assignment options in the Fort Wayne region.
Indiana is working toward OTLC compact membership as of 2026, but compact status is not yet confirmed. Verify the current status at otcompact.org before accepting an Indiana assignment. Non-compact travelers will need standard IN OT license endorsement — allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing.
Travel OT pay at Riley Hospital for Children (IU Health, Indianapolis) typically ranges from $1,950 to $2,700 per week depending on specialty (feeding therapy, sensory integration, NICU follow-up OT, AAC devices), shift, and contract length. Pediatric OT specialists with sensory integration or feeding therapy backgrounds command the higher end of that range.
The highest-demand OT specialties in Indiana are pediatric OT at Riley Hospital (feeding therapy, sensory integration, NICU follow-up), trauma and hand therapy OT at Eskenazi Health and Parkview Regional, stroke and TBI cognitive retraining OT at IU Health Methodist, school-based IEP OT in rural southern Indiana, and post-OD cognitive rehab OT in Indiana opioid crisis recovery programs.
Indiana's 3.05% flat income tax is the lowest in the Midwest. Ohio charges a graduated rate up to 3.99%, Kentucky 4.5% flat, Illinois 4.95% flat, Michigan 4.25% flat, and Wisconsin a graduated rate up to 7.65%. On a typical $2,400/week OT package with a $1,000 taxable wage base, Indiana state income tax is approximately $30.50 per week compared to $49.50 in Michigan or $76.50 at Wisconsin's top rate.
Yes. Indiana has 290+ school districts with IEP-mandated OT under IDEA. There is an acute shortage of school-based OTs in rural southern Indiana. Travel OT contracts in Indiana schools typically pay $1,700 to $2,200 per week. Autism spectrum disorder OT support is in especially high demand across Indiana's rural districts.
Eskenazi Health is Indianapolis's Level I trauma center and safety-net hospital, serving a high-acuity, diverse patient population. For travel OTs, Eskenazi offers complex trauma hand therapy, amputee prosthetic training OT, burn OT, and post-OD cognitive rehabilitation through its substance use disorder programs. The breadth of trauma and SUD-related OT at Eskenazi is rare in the Midwest.
Riley Hospital pediatric OT, Eskenazi trauma hand therapy, IU Health Methodist stroke and TBI OT, rural school IEP shortage, and Indiana's lowest-in-the-Midwest 3.05% flat tax. Our recruiters place travel OTs across every Indiana market.
$1,700–$2,700/wk · 3.05% Flat Tax · Riley Hospital · Eskenazi · IU Health Methodist · Parkview Fort Wayne