State salary profile · Rhode Island

Rhode Island Salaries

Occupation-by-occupation wages, highest- and lowest-paying roles, and metro detail for Rhode Island, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$194,047
Top 50 avg
544
Occupations
1
Metro areas
27,500
Workers (top tier)

Rhode Island occupations report a top-tier average wage of $194,047.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the most recent release covers 544 reported occupations in Rhode Island, each with a national percentile band and metro-level detail. The highest-paying reported occupation, Emergency Medicine Physicians, earns $512,730, versus $35,770 for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 1 metro areas within the state.

Rhode Island, the picture in one line

Rhode Island ranks #14 of 54 states and territories by employment-weighted average wage, led by Emergency Medicine Physicians at $512,730.

#14
of 54 states by typical pay
$512,730
top-paying: Emergency Medicine Physicians
74th
percentile among all states

Rank reflects employment-weighted pay across the full occupation mix, not any single role; see the full breakdown below.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Rhode Island labor market shows up in BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data across 544 reported occupations; the top- and bottom-paying tiers shown on this page (75 occupations) cover roughly 27,500 workers in that sample. The May 2025 OEWS release captures base pay, mean pay, and percentile bands for each SOC code that has enough state-level employment to report without confidentiality suppression. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $194,047 per year, the upper-tier benchmark, NOT a state-wide median (BLS does not publish that aggregate; specialty roles skew this number significantly higher than what a typical worker earns).

At the top of the ranking, Emergency Medicine Physicians pays a Rhode Island median of $512,730, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Family Medicine Physicians at $467,160, followed by Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric at $450,370. At the bottom of the reported range, Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers pays $35,770 - the 14.3× spread between top and bottom is characteristic of U.S. state labor markets, where specialized professional roles and entry-level service work coexist within the same regional economy. BLS reports wage data for 1 metropolitan statistical areas inside Rhode Island, letting you drill below state averages into city-by-city variation.

State-level wages reflect three compounding forces: local industry mix (a state with heavy finance, tech, or oil-and-gas concentration shows higher medians than one dominated by retail and hospitality), cost of living (expensive states pay nominally more to attract talent), and employer competition (areas with few large employers for a given specialty pay below average regardless of state prestige). Before treating any median on this page as a personal benchmark, drill into the specific metro within Rhode Island where you work, pair it with rent and cost-of-living indices to see real purchasing power, and remember OEWS figures exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime. Every occupation row links to the full occupation profile so you can see the 10th-to-90th percentile spread and compare Rhode Island to the national median for that specific role. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$194,047

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$512,730

Emergency Medicine Physicians

Where Rhode Island ranks on pay

Employment-weighted average wage vs. all 54 states & territories

$67,245 Top 26% higher than 74% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 13 states & territories (24%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 12 states & territories (22%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 7 states & territories (13%). This entry sits in this band. $70,000–$75,000: 6 states & territories (11%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $105,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Rhode Island ranks #14 of 54 by employment-weighted average wage ($67,245), a measure of typical local pay across the whole occupation mix rather than any single role.

Highest-paying occupations in Rhode Island

Median annual wage by occupation, top 15 reported roles

median / yr
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 544 distinct occupations in Rhode Island. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Highest Paying Jobs in Rhode Island

View all 100 →
# Occupation Median Salary
1 Emergency Medicine Physicians $512,730
2 Family Medicine Physicians $467,160
3 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $450,370
4 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $414,060
5 Cardiologists $395,610
6 General Internal Medicine Physicians $379,490
7 Physicians, Pathologists $322,950
8 Psychiatrists $287,610
9 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $239,760
10 Chief Executives $235,360
11 Physicians, All Other $228,590
12 Pediatricians, General $218,080
13 Surgeons, All Other $199,990
14 Architectural and Engineering Managers $175,910
15 Computer and Information Systems Managers $167,270
16 Human Resources Managers $167,110
17 Financial Managers $166,940
18 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $166,390
19 Managers, All Other $165,900
20 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $164,880
21 Dentists, General $161,560
22 Podiatrists $159,760
23 Advertising and Promotions Managers $157,890
24 Public Relations Managers $156,080
25 Fundraising Managers $155,970
26 Physicists $155,150
27 Sales Managers $154,970
28 Sales Engineers $149,750
29 Compensation and Benefits Managers $149,340
30 Database Architects $140,320
31 Physician Assistants $139,930
32 Lawyers $138,960
33 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $136,360
34 Nurse Practitioners $135,970
35 Nurse Midwives $135,180
36 Computer Systems Analysts $134,630
37 Purchasing Managers $134,560
38 Optometrists $134,520
39 Computer Network Architects $131,320
40 Psychologists, All Other $130,960
41 Software Developers $130,590
42 Natural Sciences Managers $130,480
43 Teachers and Instructors, All Other $130,480
44 Administrative Services Managers $128,980
45 Law Teachers, Postsecondary $128,490
46 Pharmacists $128,180
47 Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other $126,630
48 Veterinarians $126,570
49 Commercial Divers $126,320
50 Air Traffic Controllers $126,300

Lowest Paying Jobs in Rhode Island

Occupation Median Salary
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists $31,200
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $31,200
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $31,200
Crossing Guards and Flaggers $31,200
Physical Therapist Aides $31,200
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $31,220
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $31,400
Fast Food and Counter Workers $31,490
Machine Feeders and Offbearers $32,770
Dishwashers $33,960
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $34,040
Driver/Sales Workers $34,230
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $34,300
Parking Attendants $34,390
Food Processing Workers, All Other $34,770
Medical Transcriptionists $34,790
Retail Salespersons $34,860
Cashiers $34,860
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant $34,860
Barbers $34,900
Manicurists and Pedicurists $34,910
Cooks, Fast Food $35,230
Waiters and Waitresses $35,420
Food Preparation Workers $35,470
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $35,770

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See the fastest growing occupations nationally and how many people work in each one in Rhode Island. Based on BLS employment projections 2024–2034.

Metro Areas in Rhode Island

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare purchasing power across metros

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Related State Pages

Drill into the highest-paying and fastest-growing jobs in Rhode Island, or jump back to the national rankings.

Highest Paying in Rhode Island

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Rhode Island

Projected 2024–2034 growth

National Highest Paying

All occupations ranked

Emergency Medicine Physicians

Top-paying role nationally

Family Medicine Physicians

National occupation profile

All 50 States

Browse every state page
Compare Emergency Medicine Physicians side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median salary across the top 50 occupations in Rhode Island? ▼
Averaging the median salaries of the top 50 highest-paying occupations in Rhode Island gives $194,047/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). This is NOT the state-wide median, it's the mean of the top tier only. The full 544 occupations with reported wage data span a much wider range; see the table below for the complete picture.
What is the highest paying job in Rhode Island? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Rhode Island is Emergency Medicine Physicians with a median salary of $512,730/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Family Medicine Physicians at $467,160/year.
What jobs pay the least in Rhode Island? ▼
The lowest paying occupation in Rhode Island is Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers with a median salary of $35,770/year. Entry-level and service occupations generally have the lowest wages in the state.
How many metro areas are in Rhode Island? ▼
BLS reports wage data for 1 metropolitan statistical areas in Rhode Island. Salaries can vary significantly between metro areas due to cost of living, industry concentration, and local labor demand.
How many jobs are tracked in Rhode Island? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 544 distinct occupations in Rhode Island. The top-paying tier shown on this page alone (the 50 occupations in the table below) covers approximately 27,500 employed workers. Data comes from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of employers.

Related federal data

BLS OEWS, state wage tables → BLS QCEW state series → BLS LAUS, state unemployment → BEA, personal income by state → OSHA establishment data → DOL Wage & Hour Division →

What to do with this data

How to use Rhode Island wage data in a real decision

  • A wage here stretches differently by local cost of living than the same number would elsewhere, so weigh pay against rent and prices before relocating, not just the raw dollar figure. Compare states
  • Open a specific occupation to see its full pay band, percentiles, and metro detail for this state, statewide figures blur real variation between roles. Browse occupations
  • Treat this as a state benchmark, not a personal prediction. Your offer depends on your exact role, employer, experience, and the metro you work in. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and metro breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are aggregates and may not reflect pay in your specific metro area or employer, consult a qualified career counselor or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.