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Highest Paying Jobs in Rhode Island

Ranked by the average of the local median wages BLS publishes for Rhode Island, among 16 occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Highest paying occupations in Rhode Island
#OccupationAverage median wageWorkers in state
1General and Operations Managers$110,36014,110
2Registered Nurses$99,88015,180
3Accountants and Auditors$95,0208,250
4Office Clerks, General$47,45010,690
5Customer Service Representatives$47,17010,620
6Nursing Assistants$46,33013,030
7Home Health and Personal Care Aides$40,89015,670
8Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,37010,900
9Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$38,1609,660
10Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$38,0608,400
11Cooks, Restaurant$37,4608,850
12Stockers and Order Fillers$36,64012,020
13Waiters and Waitresses$35,75013,600
14Retail Salespersons$35,23020,910
15Cashiers$34,54014,440
16Fast Food and Counter Workers$33,70021,530

Highest-paying jobs in Rhode Island

This ranking covers 16 occupations that employ at least 1,000 people in Rhode Island. The figure used is the employment-weighted average of the local median wages published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, May 2025) for the state's wage areas. General and Operations Managers comes first at $110,360 a year; number 16 on the list, Fast Food and Counter Workers, averages $33,700.

Each occupation links to its Rhode Island page with the wage areas, the counties and what is left after taxes and living costs. Pay is only part of the picture, so compare it with local rents and taxes before choosing where to work.