Average Salary in Rhode Island
What workers in Rhode Island earn: mean and median wages, monthly and hourly pay, the full wage distribution, household income and cost-of-living context. Wage data: BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Mean annual wage$71,900Rank #13 of 51 · US $69,770
- Median annual wage$56,780Rank #13 of 51 · US $50,980
- Mean hourly wage$34.57Median $27.30/hour
- Median monthly pay$4,732Mean $5,992/month
- Median household income$83,504ACS 2024 · rank #18
- Price level (RPP)102.3US = 100 · BEA 2024
What is the average salary in Rhode Island?
The average (mean) annual wage across all occupations in Rhode Island is $71,900, and the median annual wage is $56,780, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 OEWS estimates. The mean is 3.1% above the national mean of $69,770; the median is 11.4% above the national median of $50,980. Rhode Island ranks #13 of the 50 states and DC for mean wage and #13 for median wage.
The mean is $15,120 (27%) higher than the median. That gap is normal: a minority of very high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better guide to what a typical worker in Rhode Island earns. Why mean and median differ →
The estimates cover 501,340 wage and salary jobs in Rhode Island (self-employed workers are not included).
Monthly, weekly and hourly pay in Rhode Island
Gross pay before taxes. Monthly = annual ÷ 12, bi-weekly = annual ÷ 26, weekly = annual ÷ 52. Hourly figures are published by BLS.
| Pay period | Mean (average) | Median (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $71,900 | $56,780 |
| Monthly | $5,992 | $4,732 |
| Bi-weekly paycheck | $2,765 | $2,184 |
| Weekly | $1,383 | $1,092 |
| Hourly | $34.57 | $27.30 |
Estimate take-home pay on the Rhode Island median wage (2026 tax year) →
What is a good salary in Rhode Island?
“Good” depends on your household and where in the state you live, but the wage distribution shows where a salary stands relative to other workers in Rhode Island:
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,470 | $2,706 | 90% of workers earn more |
| 25th | $39,780 | $3,315 | 75% earn more |
| 50th (median) | $56,780 | $4,732 | half earn more, half less |
| 75th | $85,200 | $7,100 | top 25% earn more than this |
| 90th | $128,120 | $10,677 | top 10% earn more than this |
In practice, a salary above $56,780 beats more than half of Rhode Island workers, about $85,200 puts you in the top quarter, and $128,120 or more puts you in the top 10%. These are individual wages, not household income. Compare percentiles across states →
Household income and earnings in Rhode Island
| Measure (ACS 2024) | Rhode Island | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,504 | $81,604 |
| Median family income | $108,082 | $101,265 |
| Per-capita income | $47,260 | $45,256 |
| Median earnings, all workers with earnings | $49,492 | $46,949 |
| Median earnings, men working full-time year-round | $72,391 | $66,965 |
| Median earnings, women working full-time year-round | $61,508 | $55,678 |
Household income adds up the income of everyone in a household — often two earners, plus Social Security, investment and self-employment income — so it is higher than any per-worker wage figure. Women working full-time year-round in Rhode Island have median earnings equal to 85% of men’s. Household income in every state →
Salary vs. cost of living in Rhode Island
Prices in Rhode Island are about 2.3% above the national average (BEA regional price parity 102.3; housing 105.6). Adjusted for that, the median wage of $56,780 is worth $55,503 at national-average prices (rank #11), and the mean wage is worth $70,283 (rank #16). Cost-of-living adjusted ranking →
Rhode Island taxes wage income, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures above by federal tax, FICA and state income tax.
Rhode Island vs. neighboring states
| State | Mean wage | Median wage | RPP | Adjusted median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $71,900 | $56,780 | 102.3 | $55,503 |
| Connecticut | $77,420 | $59,690 | 103.6 | $57,616 |
| Massachusetts | $85,610 | $63,590 | 105.8 | $60,104 |
Highest-paying occupations in Rhode Island
Detailed occupations with at least 300 jobs in the state, ranked by mean annual wage. “$239,200+” means BLS reports only that the wage is at or above that level.
| Occupation | Mean wage | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $341,100 | $235,360 | 460 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $298,550 | $379,490 | 300 |
| Physicians, All Other | $236,360 | $228,590 | 1,180 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $183,910 | $175,910 | 370 |
| Financial Managers | $181,400 | $166,940 | 2,570 |
| Human Resources Managers | $179,520 | $167,110 | 530 |
| Managers, All Other | $175,080 | $165,900 | 790 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $174,020 | $167,270 | 1,210 |
| Dentists, General | $162,440 | $161,560 | 360 |
| Sales Managers | $162,160 | $154,970 | 1,120 |
Most common jobs in Rhode Island and what they pay
| Occupation | Employment | Median wage | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 13,310 | $31,490 | $15.14 |
| Retail Salespersons | 12,830 | $34,860 | $16.76 |
| Nursing Assistants | 10,220 | $46,440 | $22.33 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,160 | $35,420 | $17.03 |
| Registered Nurses | 10,090 | $100,640 | $48.39 |
| Cashiers | 9,260 | $34,860 | $16.76 |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,150 | $117,380 | $56.43 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 7,890 | $47,550 | $22.86 |
| Office Clerks, General | 7,700 | $47,830 | $23.00 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 7,490 | $43,680 | $21.00 |
The largest occupation in Rhode Island is fast food and counter workers, with 13,310 jobs and a median wage of $31,490. Many of the most common jobs pay well below the state median, which is one reason the overall median sits far below the mean.
Salaries for 54 common occupations in Rhode Island
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Rhode Island?
The average (mean) annual wage in Rhode Island is $71,900, or $34.57 per hour, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The median wage — what a typical worker earns — is $56,780 a year ($27.30 per hour).
What is the average monthly salary in Rhode Island?
Dividing the annual figures by 12, the mean wage in Rhode Island works out to about $5,992 per month and the median wage to about $4,732 per month, before taxes.
What is considered a good salary in Rhode Island?
Earning more than the median of $56,780 puts you above half of all workers in Rhode Island. A salary of $85,200 or more is in the top 25%, and $128,120 or more is in the top 10% of wage earners in the state.
What is the median household income in Rhode Island?
Median household income in Rhode Island was $83,504 in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, compared with $81,604 nationally. Household income combines all earners and income sources in a home.
Does Rhode Island have a state income tax on wages?
Yes. Rhode Island taxes wage income, so state income tax is deducted from paychecks in addition to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.