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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 20 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
4Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$92,1106,770
5First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$74,4706,930
6Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$60,6107,030
7Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$51,8007,020
8Office Clerks, General$47,45010,690
9Customer Service Representatives$47,17010,620
10Nursing Assistants$46,33013,030
11Home Health and Personal Care Aides$40,89015,670
12Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,37010,900
13Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$38,1609,660
14Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$38,0608,400
15Cooks, Restaurant$37,4608,850
16Stockers and Order Fillers$36,64012,020
17Waiters and Waitresses$35,75013,600
18Retail Salespersons$35,23020,910
19Cashiers$34,54014,440
20Fast Food and Counter Workers$33,70021,530

Highest-paying jobs in Rhode Island

This ranking covers 20 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 20 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.