Indiana's unemployment rate keeps falling even as total jobs dip. For employers, that means a thin pool of available workers and less room for slow, clunky hiring.
Indiana's unemployment rate sits at 3.3%, down from 3.7% a year earlier and below the U.S. rate of 4.2%. Yet total nonfarm jobs changed −0.5% over the same year. Fewer people are looking for work while the overall job count edges lower. The candidates who are available tend to compare offers and move quickly.
The pressure is uneven. Private education and health services grew +1.3%. Leisure and hospitality pulled back −4.3%. Trade, transportation, and utilities is still the largest employer at 19.5% of jobs. Pay for many frontline and sales roles runs below national medians, so the offer alone rarely wins. Speed, clarity and follow-up often decide who gets hired.
The tables below cover the labor snapshot, wages by role, the industry mix and the state hiring rules on record. The commentary around them explains what each one means for how you source, screen and close candidates in Indiana.
A job openings rate of 3.7% against a hires rate of 3.5% means openings are outpacing hires, and a quits rate of 3.2% shows workers still feel free to leave. With unemployment at 3.3%, plan for longer searches unless your process moves faster than everyone else's.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES, JOLTS). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $17.94 | $30.75 | $59.62 | 21,950 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $18.18 | $34.29 | $65.44 | 32,350 |
| Telemarketers | $10.41 | $15.17 | $19.17 | 690 |
| Customer service representatives | $14.93 | $20.74 | $30.11 | 44,630 |
| Retail salespersons | $11.26 | $15.16 | $22.55 | 83,670 |
| Cashiers | $10.88 | $14.26 | $17.64 | 68,350 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $14.92 | $19.87 | $25.28 | 103,200 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $10.63 | $13.84 | $17.22 | 97,290 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $13.88 | $17.53 | $22.35 | 49,220 |
| Sales managers | $33.45 | $63.21 | $111.23 | 9,700 |
Many Indiana medians trail the nation: cashiers at $14.26 versus $15.81, retail salespersons at $15.16 versus $17.03, and services sales representatives at $30.75 versus $33.65. Laborers and material movers are the exception at $19.87 against $19.35 nationally, a sign that warehouse demand is pushing pay up.
638,100 jobs · 19.5% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
At 19.5% of jobs and growing +0.9%, trade, transportation and utilities keeps steady demand on warehouse, driver and retail candidates, so expect to compete for the same applicants across many employers.
529,200 jobs · 16.2% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Health and education grew +1.3%, the fastest of the top sectors, so aide and clinic roles need always-on pipelines rather than one-off postings.
516,900 jobs · 15.8% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing held flat at 0.0% with a 15.8% share, which points to replacement hiring for production and machine roles more than expansion.
358,700 jobs · 11.0% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Professional and business services grew +0.7%, and its contact-center and sales roles draw on the same candidates who work in retail and hospitality.
300,200 jobs · 9.2% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality fell −4.3%, so experienced servers, cooks and front-desk staff may be open to roles in customer service, retail or health support.
Trade, transportation, and utilities, Private education and health services and Manufacturing together account for roughly half of the state's jobs, and all three hire frontline workers in volume. Growth in health services and a pullback in hospitality point to where candidates are going and where they may be coming from.
The rules table reflects state-level items identified in the sources reviewed, including a minimum wage of $7.25 tied to the federal rate. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant state agency or your employment counsel before you change policies.
No statewide background checks requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
No statewide ban-the-box / fair chance requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Indiana's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, tied to the federal rate, and cities and counties cannot set a higher one.
Indiana limits non-competes by statute only for physicians: they are barred for primary care physicians and for physicians with hospitals or hospital systems (new agreements from July 1, 2025); no general employee limit was found.
No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
With unemployment at 3.3% and openings outpacing hires, the first employer to respond often gets the interview. Text new applicants as soon as they apply and offer interview times in the same message. Email alone is easy to miss for frontline candidates.
Leisure and hospitality changed −4.3% over the year. Workers from that sector bring customer-facing and shift experience that fits retail, contact-center, warehouse and care roles. Build a segment of past hospitality applicants and reach out with roles that match their skills.
Services sales pay in Indiana spans $17.94 to $59.62 an hour, a wide range shaped by commission. Candidates discount vague earning claims. List the base rate, explain how commission works and give a realistic range so applicants can judge the offer quickly.
Medians for cashiers, retail and fast food roles sit below national levels, and many employers pay close to the same rate. A fast schedule, clear shift details and a short application can tip the decision. Remove steps that do not change who you hire.
Health services grew +1.3%, so openings for aides and clinic staff tend to return. Keep qualified candidates you did not hire in an active list and check in on a regular schedule. When the next opening comes, start with people who already know you.
Indiana's tight labor pool rewards employers who respond first and follow up without gaps. ATS Mako's Conversational SMS & Automations let you text applicants in a single inbox and trigger messages on status changes, so no candidate waits on a busy manager. Interview Scheduling & Calendar lets candidates book their own times and sends automatic reminders. For volume roles in warehousing, care and retail, Audience Segmentation & Targeting helps you build filtered lists, such as past hospitality applicants, and reach them with relevant openings.
Indiana's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, tied to the federal rate. Cities and counties cannot set a higher one. In practice, many frontline roles pay above that floor, so check the wage table for what similar roles earn. Confirm current rates with the state before setting pay.
Unemployment is 3.3%, below the U.S. rate of 4.2%, and down from a year ago. The job openings rate of 3.7% is above the hires rate of 3.5%, so openings are not filling as fast as they appear. Expect available candidates to have options.
Indiana medians for these roles run below national levels, for example $13.84 for fast food and counter workers against $15.00 nationally. Use the local percentiles in the wage table to position your offer. If you pay near the median, compete on speed, schedule clarity and a simple application.
No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources reviewed. Many employers post ranges anyway because it reduces drop-off from candidates who would not accept the pay. This is general information, so confirm with counsel before setting policy.
Yes, as long as you get opt-in consent before sending recruiting texts. Tell candidates what kind of messages to expect and honor STOP or opt-out requests right away. Keep messages relevant to their application. Check with counsel on the specific consent language you use.
Use one process for every location so candidates get the same fast response everywhere. Automate the first text, screening questions and interview reminders. Keep qualified candidates you did not hire in an active list for the next round of openings.
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Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 19, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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