Is Rhode Island a good state for your salary to go far?

Rhode Island ranks #15 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 102.6 across 363 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 102.3 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 102.3, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Rhode Island

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Rhode Island

Rhode Island ranks #15 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 102.6, base = 100). Cost of living 102.3 (US = 100); top income tax 5.99%.

Does a salary go further in Rhode Island? (cost of living + state tax)

In Rhode Island, the cost of living is 102.3 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 102.6 across 363 occupations, ranking it #15 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Rhode Island ranks #15 of 51 states. Mean across 363 occupations; 100 = the average state, 102.6 means pay goes 2.6% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

102.6

Real pay by occupation in Rhode Island (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Teachers and Instructors, All Other	$130,480	$123,036	185.8
Tutors	$77,850	$73,847	171.2
Family Medicine Physicians	$467,160	$433,308	169.7
Lodging Managers	$106,630	$100,825	143.7
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	$103,810	$98,199	138.8
Crane and Tower Operators	$104,340	$98,693	136.6
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door	$110,900	$104,802	136.2
Structural Iron and Steel Workers	$98,320	$93,086	133.6
Social Workers, All Other	$111,590	$105,444	133.0
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$104,000	$98,376	131.3
Special Education Teachers, Middle School	$93,970	$89,017	130.5
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$92,760	$87,878	129.2
Cooks, Short Order	$46,250	$44,110	128.2
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$90,930	$86,156	127.6
Automotive Body and Related Repairers	$72,490	$68,803	127.4
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$85,470	$81,018	127.0
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	$92,990	$88,094	126.5
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	$121,010	$114,217	126.3
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$92,610	$87,737	125.8
Graphic Designers	$78,220	$74,195	123.3
Computer Systems Analysts	$134,630	$126,901	123.0
Chefs and Head Cooks	$79,930	$75,804	122.7
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary	$97,580	$92,397	122.5
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers	$49,770	$47,422	122.4
First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers	$63,520	$60,362	120.7
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers	$76,320	$72,407	120.3
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	$100,730	$95,331	120.0
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers	$60,680	$57,689	119.9
Insurance Sales Agents	$79,930	$75,804	119.8
Home Health and Personal Care Aides	$43,680	$41,691	118.9
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	$84,300	$79,917	118.9
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks	$61,670	$58,621	118.9
Massage Therapists	$74,960	$71,127	118.5
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$98,600	$93,347	118.5
Managers, All Other	$165,900	$156,021	118.4
Curators	$77,930	$73,922	118.2
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other	$58,470	$55,609	118.0
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	$81,450	$77,235	117.7
Bus Drivers, School	$58,700	$55,826	117.7
Brickmasons and Blockmasons	$79,280	$75,193	116.7

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 363 BLS publishes for Rhode Island. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (102.3, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Rhode Island, a $85,000 salary is worth about $78,127 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $5,092 (≈ top marginal 5.99% (upper bound)) · take-home $79,909 · BEA cost of living 102.3 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $17,825 gain over Rhode Island.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Rhode Island real pay — FAQ

Is Rhode Island a good state for your salary to go far?: Rhode Island ranks #15 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 102.6 across 363 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 102.3 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Rhode Island?: Rhode Island's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 102.3, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Rhode Island is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.