HighestPaidProfession

Highest-paying jobs in Rhode Island

The highest published median in Rhode Island is for emergency medicine physicians, at $512,730 a year. For one more occupation, BLS reports the median only as “$239,200 or more”; they are listed below the table. The median for all occupations in the state is $56,780, against $50,980 nationally.

Rhode Island · all occupationsMay 2025
Median / yr
$56,780
Mean / yr
$71,900
Price level (U.S.=100)
102.3
Median, price-adjusted
$55,514
Adjusted rank
11 of 51
Jobs
501,340

Price-adjusted = median ÷ (BEA 2024 regional price parity ÷ 100). Compare all states.

The 50 best-paid occupations in Rhode Island

RI · Src BLS-OEWS · May 2025Top 50 of 544
Top 50 occupations in Rhode Island by median annual wage
No.OccupationMedian in RIU.S. medianEmployed in RI
1Emergency Medicine Physicians$512,730$335,550290
2Family Medicine Physicians$467,160$244,180210
3Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$450,370$300,080180
4Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons$414,060$352,220—
5Cardiologists$395,610$496,01060
6General Internal Medicine Physicians$379,490$256,560300
7Physicians, Pathologists$322,950$312,400—
8Psychiatrists$287,610$281,870270
9Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$239,760$153,990120
10Chief Executives$235,360$213,990460
11Physicians, All Other$228,590$265,9301,180
12Pediatricians, General$218,080$210,040180
13Surgeons, All Other$199,990$414,010—
14Architectural and Engineering Managers$175,910$171,270370
15Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,270$175,1401,210
16Human Resources Managers$167,110$149,280530
17Financial Managers$166,940$166,5702,570
18Obstetricians and Gynecologists$166,390$292,910140
19Managers, All Other$165,900$141,900790
20Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$164,880$232,14040
21Dentists, General$161,560$170,950360
22Podiatrists$159,760$160,30050
23Advertising and Promotions Managers$157,890$133,66060
24Public Relations Managers$156,080$146,910210
25Fundraising Managers$155,970$125,470220
26Physicists$155,150$172,250—
27Sales Managers$154,970$148,2701,120
28Sales Engineers$149,750$124,90030
29Compensation and Benefits Managers$149,340$149,23050
30Database Architects$140,320$139,500160
31Physician Assistants$139,930$135,880810
32Lawyers$138,960$159,6701,840
33Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$136,360$130,220970
34Nurse Practitioners$135,970$132,3001,180
35Nurse Midwives$135,180$134,04080
36Computer Systems Analysts$134,630$105,8501,850
37Purchasing Managers$134,560$148,080220
38Optometrists$134,520$136,570250
39Computer Network Architects$131,320$134,050460
40Psychologists, All Other$130,960$110,84090
41Software Developers$130,590$135,9805,070
42Natural Sciences Managers$130,480$167,220200
43Teachers and Instructors, All Other$130,480$66,140410
44Administrative Services Managers$128,980$114,130780
45Law Teachers, Postsecondary$128,490$128,500—
46Pharmacists$128,180$140,9101,510
47Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other$126,630$72,990140
48Veterinarians$126,570$130,100430
49Commercial Divers$126,320$72,990—
50Air Traffic Controllers$126,300$148,08050

Median reported only as “$239,200 or more” in Rhode Island: Anesthesiologists. The exact figures are not published, so these are not ranked.

Dashes mean the employment estimate was not published.

Best-paid occupations with at least 1,000 jobs in Rhode Island

  1. Physicians, All Other — $228,590 (1,180 jobs)
  2. Computer and Information Systems Managers — $167,270 (1,210 jobs)
  3. Financial Managers — $166,940 (2,570 jobs)
  4. Sales Managers — $154,970 (1,120 jobs)
  5. Lawyers — $138,960 (1,840 jobs)
  6. Nurse Practitioners — $135,970 (1,180 jobs)
  7. Computer Systems Analysts — $134,630 (1,850 jobs)
  8. Software Developers — $130,590 (5,070 jobs)
  9. Pharmacists — $128,180 (1,510 jobs)
  10. Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary — $119,980 (1,160 jobs)

Sources