Rhode Island Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Rhode Island.
The average salary in Rhode Island is $113,545 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Providence). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $438,290 median; 35 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 119, the average median equates to $95,416 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Rhode Island has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Rhode Island job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Rhode Island
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 310 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($438,290)
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 160 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($227,120)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 280 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($218,080)
Dentist
Healthcare · 580 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($172,310)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 1,600 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($171,220)
Financial Manager
Finance · 3,280 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($167,570)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 730 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($163,290)
Sales Manager
Management · 1,770 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($148,880)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 950 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($139,930)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 310 jobs in state · top metro: Providence ($139,910)
Cities in Rhode Island
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Rhode Island is $113,545 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $438,290 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Rhode Island, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Family Medicine Physician ($438,290), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($227,120), Pediatrician ($218,080), Dentist ($172,310), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($171,220). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/rhode-island.
35 of the 63 BLS-tracked occupations in Rhode Island have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Providence, RI leads Rhode Island with an average median salary of $113,545 across 63 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Rhode Island's tracked metros is 119 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $113,545 translates to $95,416 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Rhode Island, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
63 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.