Average Salaries in Rhode Island
Explore salaries across 554 occupations in Rhode Island. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $78.2K, +18.9% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 554 occupations and 472,060 total jobs in Rhode Island.
How the state compares
Rhode Island is one of the higher-paying states in the country. Average wages here run meaningfully above the national level, though local cost of living often offsets some of that premium.
Rhode Island has a smaller labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand or a narrower range of employers.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Emergency Medicine Physicians. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Rhode Island
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Rhode Island
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $512.7K | 290 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $467.2K | 210 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $450.4K | 180 |
| Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeons | $414.1K | N/A |
| Cardiologists | $395.6K | 60 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $379.5K | 300 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $323K | N/A |
| Psychiatrists | $287.6K | 270 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $239.8K | 120 |
| Chief Executives | $235.4K | 460 |
Largest occupations in Rhode Island
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 13,310 | $31.5K |
| Retail Salespersons | 12,830 | $34.9K |
| Nursing Assistants | 10,220 | $46.4K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 10,160 | $35.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 10,090 | $100.6K |
| Cashiers | 9,260 | $34.9K |
| General And Operations Managers | 9,150 | $117.4K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 7,890 | $47.6K |
| Office Clerks, General | 7,700 | $47.8K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 7,490 | $43.7K |
What Rhode Island specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Rhode Island than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Rhode Island
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematicians | 14.58 | $109.3K |
| Textile Bleaching And Dyeing Machine Operators And Tenders | 12.34 | $45.9K |
| Jewelers And Precious Stone And Metal Workers | 7.52 | $48.8K |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 6.18 | $450.4K |
| Textile Knitting And Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 5.88 | $38.8K |
| Motorboat Mechanics And Service Technicians | 5.38 | $58.5K |
| Model Makers, Metal And Plastic | 5.13 | $55.6K |
| Family And Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 4.64 | $80.2K |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 4.32 | $38.6K |
| Computer And Information Research Scientists | 4.20 | $121.5K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Rhode Island
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Rhode Island
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $77.6K | 686,630 |
Common salary questions for Rhode Island
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.