Rhode Island Nurse Salary 2026: What RNs, NPs, and CRNAs Really Earn
BLS OEWS May 2025 data • Rhode Island Board of Nursing compact verification • Lifespan & Care New England market analysis
In This Guide
Rhode Island nursing salaries are shaped by an unusual market dynamic: two dominant health systems, a top-20 research university, and a state so geographically compact that commuting across the entire market takes under 45 minutes. The result is an RN pay environment that clusters tightly around the national average—$101,260 per year (BLS OEWS May 2025)—rather than tracking the premium wages of neighboring Massachusetts or Connecticut.
What the headline figure hides is where the real money is. Advanced practice and specialty roles in Rhode Island significantly outperform the baseline RN market. Nurse practitioners earn $139,600 with full practice authority under Rhode Island law, and CRNAs earn an estimated $252,721—above the national CRNA mean. For travel nurses, January 2024’s compact enrollment means Rhode Island assignments are now accessible without a separate state license for the first time. This guide breaks down every figure, employer by employer and specialty by specialty.
Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Rhode Island
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025, released May 15, 2026) places the Rhode Island RN mean annual wage at $101,260, equivalent to $48.68 per hour. This is 0.16% below the national RN mean of $101,420—essentially identical, despite Rhode Island’s cost of living running approximately 20–25% above the US average. The below-table reflects estimated Rhode Island RN wage distribution based on BLS OEWS and regional aggregator data.
RN Salary by Percentile
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry-level) | ~$74,000 | ~$35.58 |
| 25th | ~$85,500 | ~$41.11 |
| 50th (median) | ~$97,100 | ~$46.68 |
| 75th | ~$115,000 | ~$55.29 |
| 90th | ~$132,000 | ~$63.46 |
Percentile estimates derived from BLS OEWS mean ($101,260) and national distribution patterns. Exact RI percentile data suppressed by BLS for small-state reporting.
Specialty & Advanced Practice Salaries in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s advanced practice and specialty pay tells a different story than the baseline RN market. NP salaries exceed the national average, driven by full practice authority legislation that has been in effect for years under RI Gen. Laws § 5-34-49. CRNA pay is above the national mean once the BLS small-sample anomaly is corrected with TheCRNA.com’s blended 2026 dataset. ICU and ER nurses benefit from high-acuity employers like Rhode Island Hospital (Level I Trauma) and Women & Infants Hospital.
| Role | Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | $139,600 | Full practice authority; independent prescribing |
| CRNA | $252,721 | TheCRNA blended (BLS $156,140 is small-sample volatility) |
| ICU / Critical Care RN | $109,053 | RI Hospital Level I Trauma; high-acuity premium |
| Emergency Room RN | $84,943 | RI Hospital ED + Newport Hospital |
| Labor & Delivery RN | ~$105,000 | Women & Infants Hospital (high-volume L&D) |
| OR / Perioperative RN | ~$106,000 | Academic surgical suites; Lifespan/Care NE |
| LPN / LVN | ~$61,800 | BLS May 2025 estimate |
| CNA | ~$40,200 | BLS May 2025 estimate |
Rhode Island Nurse Salary by City and Region
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the contiguous US by area—1,214 square miles—which means the “regional” variation other states measure in hundreds of miles plays out here in 20-minute drives. Providence anchors the market as the largest city and location of both Lifespan’s flagship Rhode Island Hospital and Care New England’s administrative headquarters. Warwick, Pawtucket, and Newport represent meaningful secondary markets with distinct employer bases and wage profiles.
| City / Region | Est. RN Median Annual | Key Employers |
|---|---|---|
| Providence | $104,200 | Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital, Roger Williams, Butler |
| Warwick | $99,600 | Kent Hospital (Care New England), Landmark Medical Center |
| Newport | $101,400 | Newport Hospital (Lifespan), Coastal community care |
| Pawtucket / Central Falls | $96,800 | Brown Community Health, Thundermist Health Center |
| Woonsocket | $93,700 | Our Lady of Fatima Hospital (Care New England) |
| South County / Wakefield | $95,100 | South County Hospital |
| East Bay (Bristol / Warren) | $94,500 | Community hospital access; commute to Providence systems |
Travel Nursing in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s travel nursing market changed significantly on January 1, 2024, when the state joined the Nurse Licensure Compact. Before that date, every agency nurse taking a Rhode Island contract needed a separate, state-specific single-state license—an added cost and processing delay that suppressed assignment volume relative to neighboring compact states. Compact enrollment removed that friction for the approximately 40+ NLC member states’ nurses, opening Rhode Island assignments to the full compact nurse pool without extra licensing overhead.
The posted travel RN taxable base averages $99,040 annually ($47.62/hour taxable). Total compensation packages, once housing stipends and per diem allowances are factored in, typically reach $115,000–$130,000 depending on specialty and contract facility. Rhode Island Hospital trauma contracts and Women & Infants L&D/NICU contracts command the highest package rates.
High-Demand Travel Specialties in Rhode Island
- ICU / Critical Care: Rhode Island Hospital (Level I Trauma, Brown teaching hospital) drives consistent ICU travel demand; typical packages $120,000–$135,000
- L&D / NICU: Women & Infants Hospital high-volume obstetrics creates ongoing L&D travel slots; premium for BSN + L&D certification
- Emergency Department: Newport Hospital sees summer census surge from resort population, creating short-notice ER travel contracts May–September
- Psychiatric / Behavioral Health: Butler Hospital (Care New England) and Bradley Hospital maintain psych travel assignments; $95,000–$110,000 range
- Med-Surg / Tele: Lifespan system-wide contracts available; lower travel premium relative to critical care
Cost of Living & Take-Home Pay in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s cost of living presents a genuine challenge for nurses benchmarking their pay against national averages. The state’s overall COL index runs approximately 120–125 (national = 100), with housing in Providence and the coastal communities the primary driver. A two-bedroom apartment in Providence averages $2,100–$2,600/month in 2026; in Warwick or Woonsocket, the same unit runs $1,650–$2,100.
Rhode Island’s state income tax uses three brackets: 3.75% on taxable income up to approximately $73,450; 4.75% on $73,450–$166,950; and 5.99% on income above $166,950 (2026 estimated thresholds, subject to annual inflation adjustment). An RN earning $101,260 gross would fall into the 4.75% bracket for a portion of income; combined federal and state effective rate typically runs 22–26% for this income level after standard deductions.
| Role | Gross Annual | Est. Monthly Take-Home | COL-Adj. Peer State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff RN | $101,260 | ~$6,200–$6,500 | Ohio RN $87,730 (COL 93) |
| ICU RN | $109,053 | ~$6,700–$7,000 | PA ICU $122,244 (COL 104) |
| Nurse Practitioner | $139,600 | ~$8,300–$8,700 | CT NP $141,140 (COL 128) |
| CRNA | $252,721 | ~$14,200–$15,000 | National CRNA mean $248,320 |
The headline takeaway: Rhode Island RN pay is effectively at-par with the national average in nominal dollars but 15–20% below the national average in real purchasing power terms. Nurses considering Rhode Island assignments should factor housing costs explicitly—agency housing or travel contracts with stipend + housing covered change the calculus materially.
Nursing Licensure & Compact Status in Rhode Island
Rhode Island joined the Nurse Licensure Compact on January 1, 2024, making it one of the more recent states to enroll. Nurses who have Rhode Island as their primary state of residence and meet NLC eligibility requirements—which include passing the NCLEX, holding a US Social Security number, and having no disqualifying disciplinary history—can apply for a multistate license through the Rhode Island Board of Nursing (ribn.ri.gov). The multistate license grants practice rights in all currently active compact states without additional single-state applications.
Key Rhode Island licensing facts for nurses evaluating assignments or permanent positions:
- NLC member: Yes, since January 1, 2024 — multistate licenses valid for RI and all eNLC compact states
- APRN Compact: No — NPs and CRNAs require a separate RI APRN license; the APRN Compact has been enacted by only a handful of states as of 2026
- NP scope: Full practice authority under RI Gen. Laws § 5-34-49; independent prescribing of Schedule II–V; no physician agreement required
- License renewal: Biennial renewal; 30 CEUs required for RNs; 10 of which must be in pharmacology for APRNs with prescriptive authority
- Background check: Required for initial licensure; LiveScan fingerprinting accepted
- Compact caveat: For travel nurses whose primary residence is outside RI, use your home-state compact license for RI assignments. Only declare RI as your primary state if you actually reside there.
Rhode Island Nursing Job Market
Rhode Island’s nursing labor market is uniquely bifurcated: two systems—Lifespan and Care New England—employ the overwhelming majority of the state’s hospital-based RNs. This duopoly creates market dynamics different from states with more competitive employer landscapes. Pay tends to cluster within a narrow band because nurses negotiating offers can only compare two primary systems plus a handful of smaller community hospitals. Merger discussions between the two systems have resurfaced periodically, though regulatory scrutiny has blocked consolidation attempts to date.
Major Employers
- Lifespan Health System: Rhode Island Hospital (593 beds, Level I Trauma, Brown academic affiliate), Miriam Hospital (247 beds, teaching hospital), Newport Hospital (129 beds, coastal market), Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Bradley Hospital (psychiatric, East Providence)
- Care New England Health System: Women & Infants Hospital (247 beds, largest standalone OB in NE), Kent Hospital (359 beds, Warwick), Butler Hospital (143 beds, psychiatric), Our Lady of Fatima Hospital (200 beds, North Providence)
- Roger Williams Medical Center: 220-bed academic community hospital affiliated with Boston University; Providence East Side; independent of the two major systems
- South County Hospital: 107-bed independent hospital in Wakefield; serves South County and coastal communities
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Providence): Federal employer; GS-pay-scale RN salaries; VA benefits package; significant research nursing opportunities
Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School affiliation with Lifespan and Care New England creates meaningful research nursing and advanced practice opportunities. In my 12+ years as an RN, I’ve seen academic-medicine environments consistently drive 8–12% premium pay for charge nurses and clinical specialists over comparable community hospital positions—and Rhode Island’s Brown affiliation pattern holds true here.
See What Your Rhode Island Package Is Really Worth
Run your travel nurse offer through our free calculator—it models taxable base, stipends, and total comp side-by-side. Or use the Shift Differential tool to see what nights and weekends add to your RI staff position.
Travel Nurse Pay Calculator Shift Differential Calc