Indiana Nonprofit Executive Jobs, Leadership & Salary Guide
This guide is for nonprofit, foundation and university leaders looking at roles anywhere in Indiana, and for the boards hiring them. It covers each region of the state, from Fort Wayne and South Bend in the north to Evansville in the southwest, with Form 990 pay, the largest employers and statewide resources. For Indianapolis and its suburbs, read our Indianapolis & Central Indiana guide.
Updated November 3, 2026
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Key Highlights · Indiana
Size: the IRS lists about 34,900 Indiana 501(c)(3) organizations, about 1,800 of them private foundations (October 2026 file). Funding: Lilly Endowment paid $1.53 billion in grants in 2023. Pay: the median chief executive of an Indiana nonprofit with $1 million to $10 million in revenue receives about $108,000 in reportable compensation. Prices: 93.3 statewide on the federal price index (U.S. = 100), from 95.7 in metro Indianapolis down to 87.8 in Terre Haute.
The Indiana Nonprofit Market
The IRS exempt organization file for Indiana, updated October 13, 2026, lists 34,862 organizations under section 501(c)(3), and about 1,800 of them are private foundations. Among health systems and universities, the largest by revenue on their latest Form 990 are Indiana University Health ($6.1 billion for 2024), Franciscan Alliance in Mishawaka ($3.8 billion), the University of Notre Dame ($3.4 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2025), Community Health Network ($2.3 billion), Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne ($2.1 billion), St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center in Indianapolis, part of Ascension ($1.7 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2025) and Deaconess Hospital in Evansville ($1.6 billion for the fiscal year ending September 2025).
Lilly Endowment, Lumina Foundation and the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation are based in Indianapolis. Foundations in Columbus, Muncie, Fort Wayne and Elkhart County are listed in the foundation table below.
Indiana by Region
The pay figure in each region is the median Form 990 reportable compensation for chief executives of community nonprofits with $1 million to $10 million in revenue, with the number of organizations in parentheses.
Indianapolis and Central Indiana
The state’s largest nonprofit market, home to Lilly Endowment, the IU Health and Community Health Network headquarters and most of Indiana’s national nonprofits. Median chief executive pay there is $119,000 (288). Employers, foundations and resources for the metro are in our Indianapolis & Central Indiana guide.
Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana
Parkview Health is the anchor employer; Parkview Hospital reported $2.1 billion in revenue for 2024. The Foellinger Foundation, a private foundation created in 1958 to serve Allen County residents, is based in Fort Wayne. Median chief executive pay there is $114,000 (80), and the 2024 price level was 92.6.
South Bend, Mishawaka and Elkhart
The University of Notre Dame and Franciscan Alliance, based in Mishawaka, are the second and third largest Indiana health or university filers by revenue. Beacon Health System runs Memorial Hospital of South Bend, which reported $747 million in revenue for 2024. The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County and the Community Foundation of Elkhart County are the community foundations for those two counties. Median chief executive pay in the South Bend-Mishawaka metro is $111,000 (38), and the 2024 price level was 92.9 there and 90.3 in Elkhart-Goshen.
Evansville and Southwest Indiana
Deaconess Hospital reported $1.6 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending September 2025, and the University of Evansville $124 million for the fiscal year ending May 2025. Median chief executive pay there is $100,000 (38), and the 2024 price level was 91.5.
Gary and Northwest Indiana
Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties are part of the Chicago metro, so leaders here work with both Indiana and Chicago funders. Methodist Hospitals in Gary and Merrillville, Purdue University Northwest in Hammond and Westville, and the state-created Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority are among the employers. Median chief executive pay in the four counties is $106,000 (46).
Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is the anchor. The Indiana University Foundation, which raises and manages gifts for all IU campuses, reported $599 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025. IU Bloomington is also home to the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Median chief executive pay there is $94,000 (26), and the 2024 price level was 95.1.
Lafayette and West Lafayette
This market centers on Purdue University and its affiliated nonprofits. The Purdue Research Foundation, which handles technology commercialization and research parks, reported $235 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025, and the Purdue for Life Foundation runs alumni and fundraising programs. Median chief executive pay there is $107,000 (25), and the 2024 price level was 93.4.
Terre Haute and the Wabash Valley
Union Hospital reported $738 million in revenue for 2024, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology $234 million for the fiscal year ending June 2025. Indiana State University is the public university. Median chief executive pay there is $112,000 (17), and the 2024 price level of 87.8 was the lowest of any Indiana metro.
Nonprofit Executive Pay in Indiana
These figures come from IRS Form 990 filings for fiscal years 2023 to 2026, not current salary offers or estimates. They cover Indiana 501(c)(3) organizations, one figure per organization, taken from the highest-paid person in each role on its latest return. The measure is reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations, as listed in Part VII of Form 990. It can include bonuses; benefits and deferred pay are reported separately and are not included. Form 990 lists only officers, key employees and the highest-paid staff over $100,000, so mid-level roles are underreported and their medians run high. We show a median only where at least 10 organizations report the role. Public universities and government agencies do not file Form 990, so their pay is not here.
Titles are grouped before counting: chief executive includes CEO, executive director and president when that is the top staff job; chief financial officer includes vice president of finance and finance director; chief operating officer includes vice president of operations; development includes chief advancement officer, vice president of development and director of development; program includes vice president of programs and chief program officer.
Table A: Chief executive pay by sector and size, Indiana
| Segment | Organizations | Median | Middle half (25th to 75th percentile) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community nonprofit, revenue under $1 million | 1,035 | $57,000 | $38,000 to $80,000 |
| Community nonprofit, revenue $1 million to $10 million | 755 | $108,000 | $85,000 to $144,000 |
| Community nonprofit, revenue over $10 million | 236 | $217,000 | $149,000 to $342,000 |
| Of those, revenue $50 million or more | 38 | $435,000 | $354,000 to $741,000 |
| Hospitals | 39 | $500,000 | $240,000 to $826,000 |
| Private colleges and universities | 30 | $313,000 | $241,000 to $531,000 |
| Education nonprofits, all | 291 | $110,000 | $67,000 to $188,000 |
Table B: Other senior roles at Indiana community nonprofits
Median reportable compensation, with the number of organizations in parentheses.
| Role | Revenue $1 million to $10 million | Revenue over $10 million |
|---|---|---|
| Chief financial officer | $92,000 (93) | $152,000 (139) |
| Chief operating officer | $113,000 (51) | $173,000 (66) |
| Chief development officer or development director | $119,000 (18) | $145,000 (32) |
| Program director or chief program officer | $107,000 (16) | $118,000 (16) |
Table C: Chief executive pay by region
Community nonprofits only. Median, with the number of organizations in parentheses.
| Region | Under $1 million | $1 million to $10 million | Over $10 million |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis metro | $63,000 (373) | $119,000 (288) | $289,000 (96) |
| Fort Wayne metro | $52,000 (85) | $114,000 (80) | $214,000 (17) |
| South Bend-Mishawaka metro | $55,000 (30) | $111,000 (38) | $237,000 (12) |
| Evansville metro | $64,000 (45) | $100,000 (38) | $184,000 (11) |
| Northwest Indiana (Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties) | $47,000 (56) | $106,000 (46) | $211,000 (18) |
| Bloomington metro | $61,000 (24) | $94,000 (26) | n/a (6) |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette metro | $70,000 (30) | $107,000 (25) | n/a (6) |
| Terre Haute metro | $67,000 (17) | $112,000 (17) | n/a (4) |
Source: IRS Form 990 e-file data, fiscal years 2023 to 2026 (ExecSearches analysis of Indiana 501(c)(3) filings by filer address). n/a: fewer than 10 filings. Regions follow the federal 2023 metro definitions; Northwest Indiana is the four Indiana counties of the Chicago metro.
Cost of Living Across Indiana
The Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes a price level for each state and metro, with the national average set at 100.
| Area | All items, 2024 |
|---|---|
| United States | 100.0 |
| Indiana | 93.3 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood metro | 95.7 |
| Bloomington metro | 95.1 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette metro | 93.4 |
| Columbus metro | 93.0 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka metro (Indiana and Michigan) | 92.9 |
| Fort Wayne metro | 92.6 |
| Michigan City-La Porte metro | 91.7 |
| Evansville metro | 91.5 |
| Elkhart-Goshen metro | 90.3 |
| Kokomo metro | 89.6 |
| Muncie metro | 88.1 |
| Terre Haute metro | 87.8 |
| Chicago metro, which includes Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana | 103.6 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area, 2024 (released February 19, 2026). bea.gov
Health Systems and Health Care
Revenue figures are from each organization’s latest Form 990.
Indiana University Health
Nonprofit health system · Indianapolis and statewide. Indiana University Health Inc. reported $6.1 billion in revenue for 2024, the largest of any Indiana nonprofit, with hospitals across the state. Its Indianapolis roles are described in the Indianapolis guide.
Careers →Franciscan Health
Catholic nonprofit health system · Mishawaka and statewide. Franciscan Alliance reported $3.8 billion in revenue for 2024.
Careers →Parkview Health
Nonprofit health system · Fort Wayne. Parkview Hospital reported $2.1 billion in revenue for 2024, and Parkview Health System $1.2 billion.
Careers →Ascension St. Vincent
Nonprofit health system · Indianapolis. St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center Inc., part of Ascension, reported $1.7 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025. Its Form 990 lists Ascension’s St. Louis address.
Ascension careers →Deaconess Health System
Nonprofit health system · Evansville. Deaconess Hospital reported $1.6 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending September 2025.
Careers →Beacon Health System
Nonprofit health system · South Bend. Its Memorial Hospital of South Bend reported $747 million in revenue for 2024.
Careers →Union Health
Nonprofit health system · Terre Haute. Union Hospital reported $738 million in revenue for 2024.
Careers →Methodist Hospitals
Nonprofit health system · Gary and Merrillville. Serves Lake County and Northwest Indiana. Its careers page blocks automated checks; we opened it in a browser on November 2, 2026.
Careers →Colleges and Universities
Private colleges and universities
Private colleges file Form 990, so their presidents are in Table A.
University of Notre Dame
Private Catholic university · Notre Dame (South Bend). $3.4 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025, the largest of any Indiana university filer.
Careers →DePauw University
Private liberal arts university · Greencastle. $264 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025.
Human resources →Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Private engineering college · Terre Haute. $234 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025.
Human resources →Public universities and colleges
Public universities are state employers. They do not file Form 990, and their pay is not in the tables above.
Purdue University
Public land-grant university · West Lafayette and regional campuses. Leadership roles in academic administration, research, advancement and athletics; Purdue University Northwest serves Hammond and Westville.
Purdue careers →Indiana University
Public university system · Bloomington and campuses statewide. IU’s flagship is in Bloomington; IU Indianapolis is covered in the Indianapolis guide.
Working at IU →Indiana State University
Public university · Terre Haute. Hires development, academic and student services leaders.
Employment →Ivy Tech Community College
Public community college system · Statewide. Indiana’s statewide community college, with campuses across the state.
Careers →Foundations and Statewide Organizations
The table uses each foundation’s most recent IRS filing in ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, so the year, the measure and the source are shown for every row. Grants paid (Form 990-PF line 25) is kept separate from expenses and assets. Community foundations file Form 990, which reports grants inside total expenses, so they show expenses and assets only.
| Foundation | Type | Grants paid | Total expenses | Total assets | Fiscal year ended | City | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lilly Endowment | Private foundation | $1.53 billion | $1.58 billion | $62.18 billion | December 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990-PF |
| Lumina Foundation | Private foundation | $54.8 million | $90.3 million | $1.45 billion | December 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990-PF |
| The Cummins Foundation | Corporate foundation | $29.2 million | $31.1 million | $66.2 million | December 2023 | Columbus | Form 990-PF |
| Eli Lilly and Company Foundation | Corporate foundation | $26.0 million | $26.4 million | $6.7 million | December 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990-PF |
| Eugene and Marilyn Glick Foundation | Private foundation | $17.6 million | $23.4 million | $297.4 million | November 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990-PF |
| Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation | Private foundation | $15.0 million | $25.3 million | $375.5 million | December 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990-PF |
| Ball Brothers Foundation | Private foundation | $8.8 million | $11.9 million | $170.7 million | December 2023 | Muncie | Form 990-PF |
| Foellinger Foundation | Private foundation | $7.0 million | $10.2 million | $207.7 million | August 2023 | Fort Wayne | Form 990-PF |
| Central Indiana Community Foundation | Community foundation | Not on this filing type | $41.7 million | $546.8 million | December 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990 |
| The Indianapolis Foundation | Community foundation | Not on this filing type | $61.3 million | $392.2 million | December 2023 | Indianapolis | Form 990 |
| Community Foundation of Elkhart County | Community foundation | Not on this filing type | $41.3 million | $405.1 million | June 2023 | Elkhart | Form 990 |
Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, most recent filing for each foundation (accessed November 2, 2026). Assets are book value at the end of the fiscal year. The Purdue Research Foundation and the Indiana University Foundation are left out: they manage university assets rather than make grants to outside organizations, so their figures are not comparable.
Indiana University Foundation (IU Advancement)
University foundation · Bloomington. Raises and manages gifts for all IU campuses; $599 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025.
Careers →Purdue Research Foundation
University-affiliated foundation · West Lafayette. Technology commercialization, research parks and real estate for Purdue; $235 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 2025.
Careers →Purdue for Life Foundation
University alumni and advancement foundation · West Lafayette. Runs Purdue’s alumni engagement and fundraising programs.
Careers →Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana
Nonprofit social enterprise · Central and southern Indiana. Runs workforce programs, retail stores and The Excel Center adult high schools, and hires across central and southern Indiana.
Careers →IU Auditorium
University performing arts venue · Bloomington. Presents concerts, touring Broadway productions and university events.
Employment →Public Sector
Public agencies post their own openings and do not file Form 990.
State of Indiana
State government · Statewide. State agency openings, including director and deputy director roles.
Work for Indiana →Tippecanoe County
County government · Lafayette. Public administration and community development roles.
County jobs →City of Bloomington
City government · Bloomington. Roles in sustainability, community development, housing and public health.
City jobs →City of Terre Haute
City government · Terre Haute. Department leadership roles in city government.
City jobs →Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority
State-created regional authority · Northwest Indiana. Transit, economic development and infrastructure investment in Northwest Indiana.
RDA website →Rules That Affect Nonprofit Fundraising in Indiana
Under Indiana’s fundraiser registration law, paid professional fundraiser consultants and professional solicitors must register with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division before a campaign begins, and a consultant must file a written contract with each charity it serves. A charitable organization that solicits on its own behalf, through its officers, employees or volunteers, does not have to register. Development leaders who hire outside fundraising firms should confirm the firm is registered. Sources: Indiana Attorney General, Charitable Giving; Indiana Code 23-7-8 (Attorney General copy).
Search Firms Serving Indiana
We list these as resources, not endorsements, and describe each firm only from what it publishes itself.
Kittleman & Associates
Executive search focused on nonprofit chief executive and executive director roles, with offices in Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia and Boston.
Visit Kittleman →Isaacson, Miller
National executive search firm serving higher education, health care and nonprofit organizations.
Visit Isaacson, Miller →Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living affect nonprofit executive salaries in Indiana?
Indiana prices run below the national average. On the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024, where the nation is 100, Indiana stood at 93.3. The Indianapolis metro was 95.7 and Bloomington 95.1, while Terre Haute (87.8) and Muncie (88.1) were the lowest in the state. Northwest Indiana is part of the Chicago metro, which was 103.6. Pay follows a similar pattern: the median chief executive of a community nonprofit with $1 million to $10 million in revenue receives about $119,000 in the Indianapolis metro and about $100,000 in the Evansville metro (Form 990 filings).
What does a nonprofit CEO earn in Indiana?
IRS Form 990 filings for fiscal years 2023 to 2026 put median chief executive reportable compensation at Indiana community nonprofits at about $57,000 under $1 million in revenue, $108,000 for $1 million to $10 million, and $217,000 above $10 million. Hospital chief executives have a median of about $500,000 and private college presidents about $313,000. These are historical filings, not current offers, and reportable compensation can include bonuses.
Do Indiana nonprofits have to register before they fundraise?
A charity that asks for donations on its own behalf does not have to register with the Indiana Attorney General. Paid professional fundraiser consultants and professional solicitors must register with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division before a campaign starts. See the Attorney General’s charitable giving page.
Is Lilly Endowment a community foundation?
No. Lilly Endowment is a private foundation in Indianapolis, founded in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. It reported $1.53 billion in grants paid for 2023 on its Form 990-PF. Community foundations, such as the Community Foundation of Elkhart County or the Central Indiana Community Foundation, raise money from many donors and make grants in a defined area.
Does Indiana require salary ranges in job postings?
No. Indiana has no statewide law requiring employers to list pay in job postings. Bills to require it have been filed in several sessions, most recently House Bill 1300 in 2025, and none got past committee. Some employers post a range anyway, and most current listings on the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance job board show one.
Where are Indiana nonprofit executive jobs posted?
Current roles are listed on ExecSearches.com Indiana nonprofit jobs, and you can set a job alert to get new ones by email. Health systems, universities and foundations also post on their own career sites, linked in this guide.
Compliance and risk roles are listed on GRC Careers. Consultants and fractional leaders can find short-term nonprofit work on the Nonprofit RFP Work Hub.
Explore Nearby Guides
Indianapolis & Central Indiana Guide · Illinois Guide · Chicago Guide · Michigan Guide · Ohio Guide · Kentucky Guide · Louisville Guide · Midwest Regional Guide · National Hub · All guides
Sources
- IRS Form 990 e-file data, fiscal years 2023 to 2026 (ExecSearches analysis of Indiana 501(c)(3) filings; revenue figures from each organization’s latest return). irs.gov
- IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Indiana, updated October 13, 2026. irs.gov
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area, 2024 (released February 19, 2026). bea.gov
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, foundation filings (accessed November 2, 2026). propublica.org
- Indiana Attorney General, Charitable Giving, and Indiana Code 23-7-8. in.gov
- Lilly Endowment, history and annual reports. lillyendowment.org
- Indiana General Assembly, House Bill 1300 (2025), wage history and wage range. iga.in.gov
- St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center Inc., Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 2025. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
- Founder, ExecSearches.com (since 1999)
- Publisher of the ExecSearches state and city salary guides