Fastest declining jobs in Rhode Island, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Rhode Island, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Rhode Island's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Rhode Island run 2.3% above the national average (2024), so a Rhode Island salary is worth about 0.98× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Rhode Island.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Rhode Island

OccupationMedian, Rhode Island · Growth 2024–34

1Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$103,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,260 – $105,930-25.7%
2Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$48,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,190 – $77,650-24.3%
3Tellers$45,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,220 – $54,980-19.8%
4Cooks, Fast Food$35,230
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $38,470-12.8%
5Sewing Machine Operators$38,670
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $51,180-12.6%
6Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$59,490
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,280-12.2%
7Cashiers$34,860
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $47,420-10.7%
8Loan Interviewers and Clerks$51,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,450 – $65,570-9.9%
9Network and Computer Systems Administrators$103,100
Bachelor's degree
$71,200 – $154,790-9.7%
10Food Preparation Workers$35,470
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $45,220-9.3%
11Customer Service Representatives$47,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,160 – $65,010-8.9%
12Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$37,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,490 – $57,090-7.8%
13Office Clerks, General$47,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,050 – $66,930-7.6%
14Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks—
High school diploma or equivalent
—
— – —-7.6%
15Postal Service Mail Carriers$63,610
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040-7.6%
16Computer User Support Specialists$62,510
Some college, no degree
$47,340 – $94,040-7.3%
17Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$86,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,290 – $130,480-6.9%
18Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$38,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,680 – $57,780-6.8%
19Library Assistants, Clerical$36,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $49,550-6.8%
20Loan Officers$77,250
Bachelor's degree
$50,420 – $134,950-6.4%
21Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$40,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $60,510-5.4%
22Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$53,280
Some college, no degree
$39,880 – $76,210-5.4%
23First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$58,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,950 – $84,020-5.1%
24Retail Salespersons$34,860
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $47,060-4.4%
25Billing and Posting Clerks$52,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,440 – $70,740-4.3%
26Counter and Rental Clerks$46,360
No formal educational credential
$35,270 – $64,900-3.9%
27Pharmacy Technicians$44,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $58,990-3.8%
28Receptionists and Information Clerks$42,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,940 – $50,020-3.4%
29Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$77,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $97,960-3.2%
30Pharmacists$128,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,650 – $161,090-3.0%
31Childcare Workers$36,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,410 – $45,140-2.6%
32Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,710 – $61,480-2.2%
33Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$75,780
Bachelor's degree
$41,850 – $102,650-2.1%
34Security Guards$36,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $48,520-1.8%
35Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$90,930
Bachelor's degree
$45,070 – $99,610-1.5%
36Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$92,760
Bachelor's degree
$46,460 – $99,150-1.4%
37Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents—
Bachelor's degree
—
— – —-1.4%
38Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$52,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $72,800-1.3%
39Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$37,220
Some college, no degree
$31,200 – $47,720-1.3%
40Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$84,300
Bachelor's degree
$60,420 – $98,170-1.3%
41Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$92,990
Bachelor's degree
$46,580 – $99,900-1.1%
42Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$92,610
Bachelor's degree
$51,670 – $100,370-1.0%
43Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$31,400
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $46,690-0.8%
44Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$82,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,550 – $190,140-0.8%
45Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$119,980
Master's degree
$80,530 – $150,300-0.8%
46Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$46,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,630 – $61,330-0.7%
47Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$117,670
Bachelor's degree
$48,480 – $232,800-0.7%
48Dental Assistants$50,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,640 – $60,900-0.4%
49Waiters and Waitresses$35,420
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $62,680-0.3%
50First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$85,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,530 – $158,0900.0%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianRhode Island	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,810	$81,260 – $105,930	-25.7%
2	Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,800	$39,190 – $77,650	-24.3%
3	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,300	$40,220 – $54,980	-19.8%
4	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$35,230	$31,200 – $38,470	-12.8%
5	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$38,670	$31,200 – $51,180	-12.6%
6	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$45,530 – $75,280	-12.2%
7	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$34,860	$31,200 – $47,420	-10.7%
8	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,560	$31,450 – $65,570	-9.9%
9	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,100	$71,200 – $154,790	-9.7%
10	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,470	$31,200 – $45,220	-9.3%
11	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,550	$36,160 – $65,010	-8.9%
12	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,550	$34,490 – $57,090	-7.8%
13	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,830	$34,050 – $66,930	-7.6%
14	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	—	—— – —	-7.6%
15	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$63,610	$43,120 – $81,040	-7.6%
16	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$62,510	$47,340 – $94,040	-7.3%
17	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,520	$60,290 – $130,480	-6.9%
18	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,720	$31,680 – $57,780	-6.8%
19	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,610	$31,200 – $49,550	-6.8%
20	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$77,250	$50,420 – $134,950	-6.4%
21	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,590	$31,200 – $60,510	-5.4%
22	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$53,280	$39,880 – $76,210	-5.4%
23	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,570	$36,950 – $84,020	-5.1%
24	Retail SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$34,860	$31,200 – $47,060	-4.4%
25	Billing and Posting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,910	$40,440 – $70,740	-4.3%
26	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$46,360	$35,270 – $64,900	-3.9%
27	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,380	$38,270 – $58,990	-3.8%
28	Receptionists and Information ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,620	$32,940 – $50,020	-3.4%
29	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,820	$47,310 – $97,960	-3.2%
30	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,180	$86,650 – $161,090	-3.0%
31	Childcare WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,940	$31,410 – $45,140	-2.6%
32	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,520	$35,710 – $61,480	-2.2%
33	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$75,780	$41,850 – $102,650	-2.1%
34	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,940	$31,200 – $48,520	-1.8%
35	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$90,930	$45,070 – $99,610	-1.5%
36	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$92,760	$46,460 – $99,150	-1.4%
37	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	—	—— – —	-1.4%
38	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,140	$38,000 – $72,800	-1.3%
39	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$37,220	$31,200 – $47,720	-1.3%
40	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$84,300	$60,420 – $98,170	-1.3%
41	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$92,990	$46,580 – $99,900	-1.1%
42	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$92,610	$51,670 – $100,370	-1.0%
43	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$31,400	$31,200 – $46,690	-0.8%
44	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,420	$44,550 – $190,140	-0.8%
45	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$119,980	$80,530 – $150,300	-0.8%
46	Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,860	$40,630 – $61,330	-0.7%
47	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$117,670	$48,480 – $232,800	-0.7%
48	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,150	$45,640 – $60,900	-0.4%
49	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$35,420	$31,200 – $62,680	-0.3%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,420	$60,530 – $158,090	0.0%

More for Rhode Island

Metro areas in Rhode Island

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

Providence-Warwick

By field in Rhode Island

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Rhode Island to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Rhode Island, 2024–34

More for Rhode Island

Metro areas in Rhode Island

By field in Rhode Island

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34