How Much Does an RN Make in Columbus, IN in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Columbus, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Indiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbus metro area
A typical RN in Columbus, Indiana earns $37.03 per hour, or $77,030 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,419 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $61,840, and the top 10% of earners make over $94,970.
That pay is 8% below the Indiana figure of $83,500 and 21% below the national figure of $97,550. Columbus ranks 14th of 14 metro areas in Indiana for RN pay. About 640 RNs work in the Columbus area.
RN pay in Columbus at a glance
- Typical pay is $37.03 an hour, or $77,030 a year.
- That is 8% below the Indiana figure, ranking 14th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $61,840; the top 10% make over $94,970.
- Typical pay rose +39% from 2015 to 2025, against +44% for Indiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Columbus?
Pay in Columbus runs from entry-level positions at around $29.73 an hour to more than $45.66 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Indiana and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Columbus
| Career stage | Columbus | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $61,840$29.73 an hour | $66,750$32.09 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $77,030$37.03 an hour | $78,750$37.86 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $77,030$37.03 an hour | $83,500$40.14 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $94,970$45.66 an hour | $100,410$48.28 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $94,970$45.66 an hour | $105,750$50.84 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbus area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Columbus
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Columbus area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Columbus was $55,490 a year. By 2025 it had reached $77,030, a change of +39%, compared with +44% for Indiana over the same years.
How Columbus compares with other Indiana cities
Naperville pays RNs the most in Indiana at $100,490 a year, $23,460 more than Columbus. The lowest-paying area in the state is Columbus at $77,030.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbus | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naperville metro incl. Elgin | $100,490 | $48.31 | +30% | 100,240 |
| 2 | Mishawaka metro incl. South Bend | $93,540 | $44.97 | +21% | 3,370 |
| 3 | Goshen metro incl. Elkhart | $88,100 | $42.36 | +14% | 1,650 |
| 4 | Jefferson County | $84,850 | $40.79 | +10% | 18,180 |
| 5 | Carmel metro incl. Indianapolis · Greenwood | $84,230 | $40.50 | +9% | 25,800 |
| 6 | Evansville | $83,820 | $40.30 | +9% | 3,890 |
| 7 | Kokomo | $83,370 | $40.08 | +8% | 740 |
| 8 | Michigan City metro incl. La Porte | $82,300 | $39.57 | +7% | 790 |
| 9 | Terre Haute | $81,550 | $39.21 | +6% | 1,600 |
| 10 | Lafayette metro incl. West Lafayette | $80,790 | $38.84 | +5% | 2,080 |
| 11 | Bloomington | $80,370 | $38.64 | +4% | 1,630 |
| 12 | Fort Wayne | $79,630 | $38.29 | +3% | 6,450 |
| 13 | Muncie | $79,500 | $38.22 | +3% | 1,220 |
| 14 | Columbus | $77,030 | $37.03 | this city | 640 |
Every metro area in Indiana with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Indiana typical pay $83,500
Is Columbus a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Columbus earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $77,030 a year, 21% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbus area, about 13 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes RNs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Columbus, IN?
- A typical RN in Columbus earns $77,030 a year, or $37.03 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $61,840 and the top 10% earn over $94,970.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Columbus?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Columbus is $37.03. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $29.73, and the top 10% earn over $45.66 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Columbus?
- Entry-level RN positions in Columbus typically offer around $29.73 an hour, or $61,840 a year.
- Is RN pay in Columbus higher than in the rest of Indiana?
- Columbus pay is 8% below the Indiana figure of $83,500 a year, ranking 14th of 14 metro areas in the state. Naperville pays the most in Indiana at $100,490.