Indiana is located on the edge of the Midwestern and the Northeastern regions of the United States, making it an interesting place to live. There are currently no schools offering Master of Nursing Science or Doctorate of Nursing Practice degrees in the state of Indiana, so if you are interested in becoming a CRNA, you may have to go out-of-state to attend school. Don’t be discouraged, however, if you reside in Indiana and have thought about becoming a CRNA. Fortunately, several neighboring states including Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan, all offer CRNA programs. If you go out-of-state to complete your degree, you always have the option to return to Indiana to practice as a CRNA.
Choosing a Career as a CRNA
Making a decision about which career path to pursue is a major life choice. You want to make sure that you are researching your options carefully and know what you will be doing once you reach your new career goals. If you are hoping to be a CRNA in Indiana, researching what CRNAs do is a great place to start. Fortunately, if you are currently a nursing student interested in pursuing the CRNA career-path, the Indiana Association of Nurse Anesthetists (INANA) has information about how you can job shadow a CRNA. The INANA has options available on their website for CRNA contacts in Indianapolis, Franklin, and the Elkhart area that would be willing to provide a shadowing opportunity for interested students. Job shadowing a CRNA may be very helpful in making the right decision about whether or not you are interested in going further.
Working as a CRNA in Indiana
Even though there are no CRNA schools in Indiana, it is still a great place to work as a CRNA. The average wage range for a CRNA employed in Indiana is $168,230-$221,240. This is one of the highest ranges in the United States and is similar to the average salary for CRNAs in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. In addition, the metropolitan areas of Indianapolis and Carmel are the seventh highest paying metropolitan areas in the nation for CRNAs. The annual mean wage for a CRNA practicing in the Indianapolis-Carmel area is $192,430. Salaries vary widely depending on a variety of factors including facility type, geographic location, and supply and demand of CRNAs, but overall, Indianapolis is a good place to work as a CRNA if you compare the salary figures to other states.
(All salary statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics report on Occupational Employment and Wages from January 2024).