High paying jobs in Rhode Island

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Rhode Island. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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 · Employed

1Emergency Medicine Physicians$512,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,920 – $566,150290
2Family Medicine Physicians$467,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$213,600 – $467,160210
3Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$450,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,660 – $459,080180
4General Internal Medicine Physicians$379,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,590 – $425,340300
5Psychiatrists$287,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$145,780 – $480,690270
6Chief Executives$235,360
Bachelor's degree
$113,970 – $561,080460
7Physicians, All Other$228,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,130 – $357,7301,180
8Pediatricians, General$218,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,650 – $302,640180
9Architectural and Engineering Managers$175,910
Bachelor's degree
$124,410 – $257,780370
10Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,270
Bachelor's degree
$103,410 – $252,1401,210
11Human Resources Managers$167,110
Bachelor's degree
$106,480 – $268,040530
12Financial Managers$166,940
Bachelor's degree
$97,180 – $304,3102,570
13Managers, All Other$165,900
Bachelor's degree
$98,180 – $311,260790
14Dentists, General$161,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,490 – $240,650360
15Public Relations Managers$156,080
Bachelor's degree
$83,400 – $252,810210
16Fundraising Managers$155,970
Bachelor's degree
$99,160 – $249,990220
17Sales Managers$154,970
Bachelor's degree
$90,910 – $258,9501,120
18Database Architects$140,320
Bachelor's degree
$92,540 – $189,810160
19Physician Assistants$139,930
Master's degree
$98,760 – $200,030810
20Lawyers$138,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,710 – $268,2701,840
21Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$136,360
Bachelor's degree
$92,580 – $195,190970
22Nurse Practitioners$135,970
Master's degree
$111,420 – $176,4101,180
23Computer Systems Analysts$134,630
Bachelor's degree
$79,610 – $168,4801,850
24Purchasing Managers$134,560
Bachelor's degree
$98,410 – $206,980220
25Optometrists$134,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,670 – $215,640250
26Computer Network Architects$131,320
Bachelor's degree
$58,760 – $175,800460
27Software Developers$130,590
Bachelor's degree
$83,540 – $168,6305,070
28Teachers and Instructors, All Other$130,480
Bachelor's degree
$31,910 – $187,550410
29Natural Sciences Managers$130,480
Bachelor's degree
$64,210 – $268,500200
30Administrative Services Managers$128,980
Bachelor's degree
$79,940 – $205,320780
31Pharmacists$128,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,650 – $161,0901,510
32Veterinarians$126,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,730 – $196,300430
33Industrial Production Managers$124,120
Bachelor's degree
$79,660 – $192,120940
34Computer and Information Research Scientists$121,470
Master's degree
$91,230 – $170,680500
35Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$119,980
Master's degree
$80,530 – $150,3001,160
36Computer Hardware Engineers$119,510
Bachelor's degree
$80,620 – $158,570390
37Medical and Health Services Managers$119,260
Bachelor's degree
$77,630 – $196,8103,370
38Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$117,670
Bachelor's degree
$48,480 – $232,800530
39Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$117,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,760 – $207,580450
40General and Operations Managers$117,380
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $243,5209,150
41Engineers, All Other$117,080
Bachelor's degree
$57,180 – $199,410380
42Mechanical Engineers$116,230
Bachelor's degree
$79,000 – $195,1901,560
43Information Security Analysts$109,420
Bachelor's degree
$74,880 – $170,180710
44Industrial Engineers$109,350
Bachelor's degree
$79,370 – $159,400990
45Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$107,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,500 – $144,700420
46Education Administrators, Postsecondary$106,520
Master's degree
$75,370 – $216,2701,140
47Facilities Managers$106,510
Bachelor's degree
$76,130 – $176,550470
48Database Administrators$106,020
Bachelor's degree
$63,430 – $154,860280
49Web and Digital Interface Designers$105,990
Bachelor's degree
$65,640 – $166,320240
50Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$105,160
Bachelor's degree
$65,270 – $135,170550

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	Employed
1	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$512,730	$73,920 – $566,150	290
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$467,160	$213,600 – $467,160	210
3	Ophthalmologists, Except PediatricDoctoral or professional degree	$450,370	$122,660 – $459,080	180
4	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$379,490	$69,590 – $425,340	300
5	PsychiatristsDoctoral or professional degree	$287,610	$145,780 – $480,690	270
6	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$235,360	$113,970 – $561,080	460
7	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$228,590	$80,130 – $357,730	1,180
8	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$218,080	$114,650 – $302,640	180
9	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$175,910	$124,410 – $257,780	370
10	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,270	$103,410 – $252,140	1,210
11	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,110	$106,480 – $268,040	530
12	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,940	$97,180 – $304,310	2,570
13	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$165,900	$98,180 – $311,260	790
14	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$161,560	$103,490 – $240,650	360
15	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,080	$83,400 – $252,810	210
16	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,970	$99,160 – $249,990	220
17	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$154,970	$90,910 – $258,950	1,120
18	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$140,320	$92,540 – $189,810	160
19	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$139,930	$98,760 – $200,030	810
20	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$138,960	$80,710 – $268,270	1,840
21	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$136,360	$92,580 – $195,190	970
22	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$135,970	$111,420 – $176,410	1,180
23	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$134,630	$79,610 – $168,480	1,850
24	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,560	$98,410 – $206,980	220
25	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,520	$71,670 – $215,640	250
26	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$131,320	$58,760 – $175,800	460
27	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$130,590	$83,540 – $168,630	5,070
28	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$130,480	$31,910 – $187,550	410
29	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,480	$64,210 – $268,500	200
30	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,980	$79,940 – $205,320	780
31	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,180	$86,650 – $161,090	1,510
32	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$126,570	$106,730 – $196,300	430
33	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,120	$79,660 – $192,120	940
34	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$121,470	$91,230 – $170,680	500
35	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$119,980	$80,530 – $150,300	1,160
36	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,510	$80,620 – $158,570	390
37	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,260	$77,630 – $196,810	3,370
38	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$117,670	$48,480 – $232,800	530
39	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,600	$71,760 – $207,580	450
40	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,380	$64,990 – $243,520	9,150
41	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$117,080	$57,180 – $199,410	380
42	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$116,230	$79,000 – $195,190	1,560
43	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$109,420	$74,880 – $170,180	710
44	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,350	$79,370 – $159,400	990
45	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$107,490	$54,500 – $144,700	420
46	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$106,520	$75,370 – $216,270	1,140
47	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,510	$76,130 – $176,550	470
48	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$106,020	$63,430 – $154,860	280
49	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$105,990	$65,640 – $166,320	240
50	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$105,160	$65,270 – $135,170	550

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Rhode Island. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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.

High paying jobs in Rhode Island

More for Rhode Island

Metro areas in Rhode Island

By field in Rhode Island

Without a degree

By state