22+ Highest Paying Jobs in Indiana

Choosing a future career path is a very important step in everyone's life. While your decision should be mostly based on your personal strengths and aspirations, choosing a promising and profitable position with a professional growth opportunity is also important. In this article, we will tell you all about the highest paid jobs in Indiana and what it takes to get them.

List of the 22 Top-paying Jobs in Indiana

No matter how much professional experience you have – chances are high that Indiana can offer you an opportunity. This state is home to the world's second-largest automotive industry and leads the nation in manufacturing jobs. You’ll find some of the highest-paying jobs in Indiana this year below.

1. General Pediatricians

Typical responsibilities of a general pediatrician:

• conducting thorough examinations of children's health conditions to set a diagnosis;
• prescribing medications according to the diagnosis;
• providing professional medical care for kids.

Entry-level salary: $129,540

Necessary skills: Bachelor's degree; M.D. or D.O.; 3 years of medical residency; a completed U.S. Medical Licensing Examination or a Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination; ability to work under stressful conditions; strong knowledge of diagnostic principles, facts, and techniques

2. Petroleum Engineers

Typical responsibilities of a petroleum engineer:

• designing oil-extracting equipment;
• designing ways to extract bigger volumes of oil;
• evaluating the production process through testing and surveys;
• maintaining oil field equipment;
• analyzing geological data and statistics;
• researching the new productive locations.

Entry-level salary: $94,240

Necessary skills: a degree in petroleum, mechanical or chemical engineering; achieved chartered (CEng) status with the Engineering Council; strong technical and teamworking skills; excellent health; the ability to work under pressure and in stressful conditions

3. General Dentists

Typical responsibilities of a general dentist:

• providing an examination of the dental and oral hygiene of patients;
• prescribing medications;
• examining x-ray files;
• repairing or removing damaged teeth;
• teaching patients about personal oral hygiene.

Entry-level salary: $87,450

Necessary skills: a DDS or DMD degree from a dental program, accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA); strong communication skills and attention to detail; physical stamina; patience and methodical approach

4. Nurse Anesthetists

Typical responsibilities of a nurse anesthetist:

• checking in with patients after the surgery to ensure their well-being;
• communicating with the surgeon performing the surgery;
• gathering the patient's medical history;
• designing an average anesthesia plan with the minimum of risks.

Entry-level salary: $88,810

Necessary skills: a Nurse Anesthetist college major; strong problem-solving skills; empathy; ability to work in stressful conditions; excellent time-management skills; critical thinking, and excellent communication skills

5. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

Typical responsibilities of a judge, magistrate judge, and magistrate:

• researching legal issues and writing opinions on them;
• settling legal disputes;
• supervising other judges and court officers;
• providing instructions to the juries on applicable laws;
• giving sentences to defenders without bias.

Entry-level salary: $50,740

Necessary skills: a degree in Law; experience working with document management software; critical thinking and unbiased judgment; strong speaking skills; ability to solve complex problems; active listening; excellent time-management skills

6. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

Typical responsibilities of an administrative law judge, adjudicator, and hearing officers:

• monitoring and directing trial activities;
• conducting hearings;
• recommending the acceptance or rejection of the claims;
• determining penalties.

Entry-level salary: $46,080

Necessary skills: a degree in Law; experience working with Microsoft Access and document management software; impeccable law knowledge; knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures; experience providing customer and personal services

7. Chief Executives

Typical responsibilities of a chief executive:

• defining the organization's goals;
• defining the organization's priorities;
• cooperating with a senior management team;
• ensuring that the organization's activities comply with the law;
• promoting the organization at various events.

Entry-level salary: $36,560

Necessary skills: a degree, postgraduate or professional qualifications related to the company's field; several years of experience working at senior management level; strong business management skills; exceptional customer orientation and problem-solving skills; experience with financial management

8. Air Traffic Controllers

Typical responsibilities of an air traffic controller:

• monitoring and directing the aircraft's movement;
• provide landing and takeoff instructions to pilots;
• transferring and accepting flight controls;
• alerting the airport staff in case of an emergency.

Entry-level salary: $66,620

Necessary skills: 3 years of work experience or a bachelor's degree from an AT-CTI program; an Air Traffic Control Tower Operator Certificate; strong communication skills; ability to work in stressful conditions; ability to take responsibility and quickly come up with solutions to complex issues

9. Postsecondary Economics Teachers

Typical responsibilities of a postsecondary economic teacher:

• preparing and delivering lectures to undergraduate or graduate students;
• conducting research and publishing its results;
• keeping updated about developments in the field;
• evaluating students' work.

Entry-level salary: $70,500

Necessary skills: master's degree or Ph.D. in Economics; developed critical thinking; patience; knowledge of learning strategies; impeccable time management skills; the ability to solve complex problems

10. Pharmacists

Typical responsibilities of a pharmacist:

• reviewing prescriptions to ensure their accuracy;
• providing information regarding drugs' side effects and dosage;
• mixing, packaging, and labeling pharmaceuticals according to policies;
• managing pharmacy files and patients' profiles.

Entry-level salary: $66,110

Necessary skills: a PharmD; experience working with analytical, scientific, and label-making software; strong medicine and biology knowledge; attention to detail and client-orientation, highly developed critical thinking

11. Orthodontists

Typical responsibilities of an orthodontist:

• studying patients' medical history to develop treatment plans;
• adjusting dental appliances;
• realigning patients' teeth;
• diagnosing patients' teeth and jaws for abnormalities.

Entry-level salary: $77,970

Necessary skills: a bachelor's degree; a dental degree (DDS or DMD); a certificate of orthodontics; experience in providing customer and personal service; strong communication skills; experience in providing emotional support to clients

12. Architectural and Engineering Managers

Typical responsibilities of architectural and engineering managers:

• managing architecture or engineering projects;
• approving project design changes;
• consulting and negotiating with clients;
• preparing bids and proposals;
• presenting proposals to clients.

Entry-level salary: $82,890

Necessary skills: bachelor's degree in Engineering; proficiency with Autodesk AutoCAD; experience working with database management system software; strong design skills; a history of the practical application of engineering science and technology; familiarity with business and management principles

13. Materials Scientists

Typical responsibilities of a material scientist:

• conducting material research;
• planning laboratory experiments;
• coming up with ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new ones;
• preparing reports on all the conducted experiments.

Entry-level salary: $65,550

Necessary skills: a degree in chemistry, physics, or engineering; strong Microsoft Excel skills; strong knowledge of the chemical composition and structure; experience working with circuit boards, processors, and chips; critical thinking and analytical mind and ability to work with stats

14. Athletes and Sports Competitors

Typical responsibilities of athletes and sports competitors:

• identifying strengths and weaknesses to improve future performances;
• maintaining the peak of physical fitness;
• taking part in athletic events;
• maintaining sports equipment.

Entry-level salary: $19,260

Necessary skills: experience working with Oracle PeopleSoft; excellent health and coordination; ability to regularly attend physical workouts; ability to train other athletes

15. Computer and Information Systems Managers

Typical responsibilities of a computer and information system manager:

• auditing the organization's technology stack;
• assess the current needs to implement software and hardware upgrades;
• management of servers' backup, security, and helpdesk systems;
• daily management of the IT department, analyzing workflow, setting priorities, and developing new standards;
• provide technical and operational support for the organization.

Entry-level salary: $71,490

Necessary skills: substantial experience with database management systems and enterprise ERP software; practical knowledge of object/component oriented development stacks; good knowledge of hardware and commercially-used software; experience with the practical application of engineering science; strategic planning and management skills

16. Postsecondary Law Teachers

Typical responsibilities of a postsecondary law teacher:

• preparation of necessary course notes, such as homework assignments and handout materials;
• compile and grade examinations;
• initiate classroom discussions on various law-related subjects;
• review and evaluate students' work such as assignments, papers, and live presentations;
• keeping track of the best and most current practices and developments in the legal field.

Entry-level salary: $43,930

Necessary skills: excellent knowledge of Law, legal codes, court procedures, and government regulations as well as basic principles of Law; deep understanding of curriculum design process and teaching of groups and individuals; active listening skills and excellent command of English

17. Sales Managers

Typical responsibilities of a sales manager:

• management of sales cycles of products, services, or real estate;
• adaptation of pricing schemes and discount rates to win the client;
• overseeing the performance of local sales development teams;
• observation of customers behavior to determine the best customer acquisition strategy;
• keep a record of all sales activities in the organization's CRM system;
• represent the company at meetings and conferences to promote the products or services.

Entry-level salary: $59,320

Necessary skills: experience working with B.I. and CRM software; proven successful track record of closing deals and understanding of basic principles of selling and negotiating; excellent communication skills and good command of written and spoken English; critical thinking and coordination; creative thinking

18. Nurse-Midwives

Typical responsibilities of a nurse-midwife:

• coordination of all aspects of the birthing process;
• monitoring fetal development and assessment of vital signs and key measurements;
• stabilizing patients' conditions in case of emergency intervention;
• providing prenatal and postpartum care to patients and newborns;
• develop individual healthcare plans and suggest diet and everyday life improvements.

Entry-level salary: $85,490

Necessary skills: in-depth knowledge of diagnosing techniques needed to treat patients with different conditions; understanding of human psychology and ability to work with any person; excellent knowledge of biology and medicine; knowledge of most common and rare symptoms and drugs/medications; practical experience with medical software, such as digiChart OB-GYN, Acrendo Medical Software Ob/Gyn EMR, and Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR

19. Compensation and Benefits Managers

Typical responsibilities of a compensation and benefits manager:

• planning, directing, and managing compensation and benefits activities of a company or an organization;
• design and implement benefits policies taking into account the local legalization and social security requirements;
• developing employees' competitive compensation plans;
• putting together requirements and policies for recruitment, orientation, benefits, and compensations.

Entry-level salary: $61,640

Necessary skills: knowledge of basic principles of human resource management and recruitment; knowledge of mathematics and business administration; strategic planning and resource allocation skills; judgment and decision making; management of financial resources; knowledge of ERP and H.R. software; social perceptiveness

20. Nurse Practitioners

Typical responsibilities of a nurse practitioner:

• analyzing and interpreting patients' histories and symptoms;
• developing proper diagnosis;
• offering patients diagnostic or therapeutic interventions;
• prescribing medications;
• educating patients about their illnesses.

Entry-level salary: $83,180

Necessary skills: a Nurse Practitioner college major; strong communication and interpersonal skills; empathy; good physical health; experience with Microsoft Outlook; knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat illnesses

21. Podiatrists

Typical responsibilities of a podiatrist:

• surgically treating medical conditions;
• diagnosing medical conditions;
• prescribing medications;
• treating bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.

Entry-level salary: $59,400

Necessary skills: a D.P.M. from an accredited podiatric medical school; strong communication skills; ability to analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best treatment plan with over 80 percent of safety; attention to detail; active learning and critical thinking

22. Financial Managers

Typical responsibilities of a financial manager:

• building relationships with customers to assist with problems they may encounter;
• planning budgets;
• coordinating and managing the activities of workers;
• preparing risk reports.

Entry-level salary: $54,610

Necessary skills: a degree in Economics; strong math skills; strong interpersonal skills and ability to negotiate with clients; ability to manage people

23. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Typical responsibilities of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers:

• working as a part of the team along with the flight crew;
• guiding flights by using special tools;
• starting engines and operating controls;
• cooperating with control towers regarding takeoff clearances and arrival instructions.

Entry-level salary: $62,440

Necessary skills: a bachelor's degree in aircraft operations or aviation; excellent physical health; experience working with CoPilot Flight Planning & E6B; knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry; strong critical thinking

Applying for the Best Jobs in Indiana State: Preparing Your Documents

After you've picked out the career path you'd like to pursue, it's time to start preparing for getting one of the good-paying jobs in Indiana. One of the most important steps you should take is preparing your resume and cover letter.

Create a Winning Resume

If you're aiming for those high paying jobs in Indiana, having a great resume is a must. According to a recent GetCoverLetter study, a poorly written resume can be one of the main reasons for not getting an interview invitation. To make sure yours will catch the recruiter's eye, consider the following advice:

• Include only relevant information. A resume is a short representation of your professional skills and experience. A document like this typically doesn't exceed a one-page in length and contains only information relevant to the position you're applying for.
• Include keywords. In some cases, your resume might undergo an initial computer screening to select only the best candidates for the job. To ensure yours gets selected, put some relevant keywords from the position description into your resume.
• Pay extra attention to your summary. A recruiter usually doesn't take longer than 7 seconds to scan each resume. This means you should use every opportunity to present yourself in a good light from the very start. Put your most vital skills and most important accomplishments into the summary at the top of your resume. It should make you stand out from other applicants.
• Focus on design. The visual part of the resume is just as important as the information it contains. At GetCoverLetter, you can choose among a variety of professional templates and customize your resume to the profession you choose.

Create a Professional Cover Letter to Support Your Resume

If you want to increase your chances of being noticed and get the fastest response– you must add a cover letter to your job application. It is a great supporting document that can increase the recruiter’s interest in checking out your resume.

When writing a cover letter, remember that it should not be as formal as your resume. The main goal of a cover letter is to explain to the recruiter why you think you are a good fit for this position. You must ensure that your cover letter doesn’t duplicate the resume. Use it to tell the recruiter which skills you think you might use while working in their company, explain your motivation to obtain this position, highlight your personal traits that will be a good fit for the company culture, etc.

Final Thoughts

This list of high-demand positions could be far longer as the state of Indiana’s job market is quite extensive. Luckily for you, it gives you plenty of opportunities to choose jobs in Indiana that pay well and match your interests.