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Average Salary in Rhode Island
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Rhode Island, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 484 occupations in Rhode Island. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Rhode Island's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Rhode Island jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Rhode Island
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Rhode Island is emergency medicine physicians, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 449.7% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 290 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Rhode Island pays 16.4% higher for this work. Next on the list are cardiologists at a mean of $239,200+ and dermatologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 400 people in Rhode Island, so they describe the top of the Rhode Island wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 80 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dermatologists | 30 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 340 | $107.37 | $223,340 | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 280 | $103.95 | $216,220 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,290 | $110.26 | $229,340 | $237,540 |
| Psychiatrists | 280 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $236,400 |
| Pediatricians, General | 220 | $101.07 | $210,230 | $207,180 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 40 | $88.05 | $183,140 | $191,450 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 330 | $81.93 | $170,410 | $179,710 |
| Marketing Managers | 1,120 | $82.33 | $171,250 | $174,690 |
| Human Resources Managers | 370 | $79.51 | $165,380 | $173,920 |
| Financial Managers | 2,310 | $77.16 | $160,490 | $173,800 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,010 | $79.34 | $165,030 | $171,110 |
| Public Relations Managers | 130 | $70.28 | $146,180 | $164,920 |
Largest occupations in Rhode Island
The occupation with the most jobs in Rhode Island is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 12,650 people at a median annual wage of $30,460 and a mean of $32,630. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Rhode Island's typical pay for this work runs 0.1% lower. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (11,460 jobs, median $34,860) and waiters and waitresses (11,010 jobs, median $42,600). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Rhode Island pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,650 | $30,460 | $32,630 |
| Retail Salespersons | 11,460 | $34,860 | $37,440 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 11,010 | $42,600 | $43,930 |
| Registered Nurses | 10,760 | $99,960 | $99,770 |
| Cashiers | 9,710 | $31,040 | $33,070 |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,060 | $122,040 | $139,150 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 8,800 | $41,890 | $40,310 |
| Nursing Assistants | 8,450 | $44,160 | $43,740 |
| Office Clerks, General | 8,360 | $46,620 | $48,150 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 8,260 | $46,490 | $47,980 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,230 | $39,820 | $42,540 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,890 | $36,500 | $38,940 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 6,600 | $36,380 | $40,060 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 6,490 | $38,940 | $41,470 |
| Software Developers | 6,010 | $128,660 | $126,810 |
Where Rhode Island pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Rhode Island median with its own national median shows where Rhode Island's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Rhode Island jobs, the largest premium is for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education: a median of $89,530 in Rhode Island versus $62,970 nationally, 42.2% higher. The largest discount is for instructional coordinators, at $60,320 in Rhode Island versus $74,720 nationally, 19.3% lower. In total, 86 of the 115 occupations with 1,000 or more Rhode Island jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 214 of the 484 occupations published for Rhode Island have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Rhode Island's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Rhode Island median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $89,530 | $62,970 | +42.2% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,900 | $62,340 | +39.4% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $89,040 | $64,580 | +37.9% |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $81,220 | $61,890 | +31.2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $42,600 | $33,760 | +26.2% |
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $30,510 | $35,250 | -13.4% |
| Lawyers | $128,920 | $151,160 | -14.7% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $49,770 | $59,190 | -15.9% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $84,800 | $101,350 | -16.3% |
| Instructional Coordinators | $60,320 | $74,720 | -19.3% |
Rhode Island salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Rhode Island?
By average pay, emergency medicine physicians is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Rhode Island, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Rhode Island?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Rhode Island, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $30,460 across 12,650 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 484 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Rhode Island have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Rhode Island, with an estimated 12,650 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $32,630.
Which occupations pay more in Rhode Island than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Rhode Island jobs, middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education shows the largest premium: a median of $89,530 in Rhode Island versus $62,970 nationally, 42.2% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.