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Healthcare Recruiting

Indiana PA License 2026: Physician Assistant Requirements, Supervision, and Salary

AH
Ava Health Team
··8 min read

Indiana physician assistants are licensed by the Indiana Medical Licensing Board (part of the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency). The state requires a supervision agreement with a licensed Indiana physician — filed with the Medical Licensing Board — before PAs may practice. Indiana offers one of the lowest PA application fees in the country (~$50), and IU Health's dominance of the state's healthcare market means that most Indiana PA placements involve navigating one major employer's standardized credentialing process.

Practice Model: Supervision Required

Indiana PAs must have a Board-filed written supervision agreement with a licensed Indiana physician. The agreement specifies scope of practice, prescriptive authority, and supervisory requirements. On-site physician presence is not required for routine PA practice.

  • Supervision agreement: Required and must be filed with the Indiana Medical Licensing Board
  • Prescriptive authority: Schedule II–V with DEA registration under the supervision agreement
  • APRN note: Indiana applies similar collaborative agreement requirements to NPs; see separate NP guide

Application Requirements

  • Active NCCPA certification
  • Graduation from ARC-PA accredited program
  • Indiana PLA application and $50 fee
  • Filed supervision agreement
  • Background check
  • DEA registration (separate, $888 fee)

Processing Timeline

The Indiana Medical Licensing Board processes complete PA applications in 6–8 weeks. Supervision agreement review adds 1–2 weeks. Total time to practice-ready: approximately 8–10 weeks.

PA Salary in Indiana (2026)

SettingMedian BaseTypical Sign-On
Hospital / Inpatient (Indianapolis)$118,000$5,000–$15,000
Surgical First-Assist$128,000$8,000–$18,000
Emergency Medicine$122,000$5,000–$15,000
Primary Care / Outpatient$110,000$5,000–$10,000
Rural Indiana$115,000$8,000–$20,000

Top PA Employers in Indiana

IU Health (Indiana University Health — Methodist, University, Riley Children's, and 14 hospitals statewide) is the dominant employer, accounting for the majority of Indiana PA placement volume. IU Health has standardized PA credentialing and a well-established supervision agreement process. Ascension St. Vincent's (Indianapolis and statewide) competes for the same Indianapolis-area PA talent. Parkview Health (Fort Wayne) anchors northeast Indiana. Franciscan Health (Indianapolis, Crown Point, Lafayette) operates the Catholic health system market. Community Health Network (Indianapolis) rounds out the capital city competition. Rural Indiana has NHSC-eligible sites in southern Indiana and the coal-country counties.

What We See at Ava Health

Indiana's $50 application fee is the lowest in the Midwest and one of the lowest nationally — a meaningful financial advantage for new graduates managing loan repayment. IU Health's dominance means that negotiating well with IU is effectively the Indiana job market for most PA candidates; sign-ons are real but moderate relative to rural and shortage states. Fort Wayne and south-central Indiana offer larger incentives for candidates willing to step outside the Indianapolis bubble.

Related: NP License Indiana 2026, PA Salary by State 2026, Healthcare Recruiting in Indiana 2026.

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