RN
$101,260
Below−$160
Rank 13 of 51
Salary data / Rhode Island
Rhode Island nurse salary 2026: RN, NP & travel pay
Average RN salary in Rhode Island
$101,260
$48.68/hr13th of 51National $101,420
$160 below the national average, but 12th once rent and groceries are counted.
NP
$139,600
Above+$2,300
Rank 8 of 49
CRNA
$252,721
Above+$4,401
Rank 16 of 51
Travel RN base
$99,040
Below−$2,092
Rank 20 of 51
ICU RN · posted pay
$109,053
Above+$23,848
Rank 26 of 51
ER RN · posted pay
$84,943
No national figure
Rank 20 of 51
ICU and ER figures are averages of posted pay from job-board aggregators such as Nurse.org, not BLS means. They run below the BLS RN mean in most states, so compare them with each other and with the national ICU figure, not with the RN figure beside them.
Raw vs cost-of-living adjusted
Rhode Island climbs from 13th to 12th once prices are counted
Prices in Rhode Island run 0.3% below the national average (regional price parity 99.7). That makes the $101,260 mean spend like $101,565 elsewhere.
| Measure | Pay | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Mean wage | $101,260 | 13 of 51 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted | $101,565 | 12 of 51 |
Travel nursing in Rhode Island
Posted travel base is $1,905 a week before stipends
Posted base · weekly
$1,905/wk
$99,040 a year posted ÷ 52 weeks
20th of 51 · $2,092 below the national $101,132
Why this is lower than the package numbers in the guide below
Posted base is the taxable rate on the job listing. Housing and meal stipends are paid on top of it and are not in this number.
Stipends are only tax-free if you keep a tax home. Run your own contract before you compare offers.
What shapes pay here
Income tax up to 5.99%, no ratio law, one compact license
- State income tax
- Up to 5.99%
Rhode Island rates rise to 5.99% on the top bracket, so the effective rate on a $101,260 salary is lower than 5.99%.
- Staffing ratio law
- No law
Rhode Island mandates no ratios, so each hospital sets staffing. Ask for the unit's actual ratio before you accept.
- Nurse Licensure Compact
- Member
NLC active since Jan 8, 2024. A multistate license from any compact state covers practice in Rhode Island with no separate application.
The full guide
What the Rhode Island numbers leave out
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 Mean Annual
$101,260
BLS OEWS May 2025
RN Estimated Median
~$97,100
Est. from BLS distribution
RN Mean Hourly
$48.68
$101,260 / 2,080 hrs
Travel RN Base
$99,040
Posted taxable; total pkg higher
vs. National Mean
-0.2%
Essentially at national average
NE Rank
#4 of 6
Above NH and VT; below CT, NY, MA
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.
Cost-of-Living Context: Providence’s median home price exceeds $400,000, and the state’s overall COL index runs roughly 123 (national = 100). An RN earning $101,260 in Rhode Island has meaningfully less purchasing power than the same salary would provide in Ohio ($87,730 mean, COL index ~93) or Indiana ($89,150, COL ~94). See the cost-of-living section below for the take-home analysis.
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.
NP Median Annual
$139,600
BLS OEWS May 2025 — FPA state
CRNA Annual (est.)
$252,721
TheCRNA.com 2026 blended
ICU RN Annual
$109,053
Specialty differential applied
ER RN Annual
$84,943
ZipRecruiter 2026
| 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 |
NP Full Practice Authority: Rhode Island grants full practice authority under RI Gen. Laws § 5-34-49. NPs can diagnose, treat, prescribe Schedule II–V controlled substances, and operate independent practices without a physician collaborative agreement. This regulatory environment drives above-national NP pay in Rhode Island and supports a growing independent NP clinic sector in Providence and surrounding communities.
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 |
Women & Infants Hospital Premium: Women & Infants Hospital (Care New England, Providence) is the largest stand-alone obstetrics hospital in New England, delivering over 8,500 births annually. It functions as a Level III NICU and regional perinatal center, driving above-average pay for L&D, NICU, and MFM nursing roles. CRNAs at Women & Infants benefit from exceptionally high procedural volume—a factor that pushes their compensation toward the upper end of the RI range.
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.
Travel RN Taxable Base
$99,040
ZipRecruiter March 2026 posted avg
Total Package Est.
~$121,000
Base + stipend + M&IE (Vivian/GSA)
NLC Compact
Yes
Joined January 1, 2024
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
GSA Per Diem Rates (2026): The GSA Providence per diem for meals and incidental expenses runs $163/day ($74 meals + $89 incidentals), among the higher New England rates. Housing stipends in the Providence metro average $1,400–$1,900/week tax-free for contract nurses who maintain a verified tax home outside Rhode Island. High Providence rental rates mean many travel nurses use agency-provided housing rather than stipend.
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.
Merger Angle: The proposed Lifespan–Care New England merger, which would create a Brown-affiliated academic health system similar to Mass General Brigham, has faced Federal Trade Commission scrutiny. If consolidation eventually proceeds, it could narrow nurse negotiating leverage and suppress wage competition between the two systems. Nurses considering long-term Rhode Island careers should monitor this regulatory situation.
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 CalcCommon questions
Rhode Island nurse pay, answered
What is the average RN salary in Rhode Island in 2026?
Rhode Island registered nurses average $101,260 per year ($48.68/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data, placing the state essentially at the national RN mean of $101,420. Lifespan and Care New England together employ the majority of Rhode Island's RN workforce. Both systems maintain academic affiliations with Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School, which supports above-average wages relative to non-academic New England markets. Rhode Island's RN pay ranks above New Hampshire ($97,900) and Vermont ($96,650) within New England but trails Connecticut ($105,250), New York ($113,440), and Massachusetts ($117,960).
Is Rhode Island an NLC compact state?
Yes. Rhode Island joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) on January 1, 2024. Nurses with Rhode Island as their primary state of residence can obtain a multistate license and practice in all other NLC compact states without separate single-state licenses. Travel nurses licensed in other compact states can take Rhode Island assignments under their existing multistate license. Note that the APRN Compact is separate from the NLC and Rhode Island has not enacted it, so nurse practitioners and CRNAs still require a Rhode Island APRN license obtained separately from the RN compact license.
What do nurse practitioners earn in Rhode Island?
Nurse practitioners in Rhode Island average $139,600 per year according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data, above the national NP mean of $137,300. Rhode Island grants full practice authority under RI General Laws Section 5-34-49, allowing NPs to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications including controlled substances without a required physician collaborative agreement. The Brown University academic medicine environment and a dense urban market in Providence support NP wages that exceed comparably-sized New England markets.
What is the CRNA salary in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island CRNAs earn approximately $252,721 per year per TheCRNA.com's 2026 blended dataset combining BLS OEWS data with active 2026 job listing rates. This figure is used over the raw BLS state estimate of $156,140 because Rhode Island's small CRNA workforce can produce small-sample volatility in federal data. The $252,721 figure places Rhode Island above the national CRNA mean of $248,320. Rhode Island Hospital's Level I Trauma Center and Women & Infants Hospital's high-volume obstetrics program are the primary CRNA employers in the state.
How does Rhode Island RN pay compare to neighboring states?
Rhode Island's RN mean of $101,260 places it above New Hampshire ($97,900) and Vermont ($96,650) within New England but below Connecticut ($105,250), New York ($113,440), and Massachusetts ($117,960). Despite ranking in the lower half of New England for baseline RN pay, Rhode Island's NP market ($139,600) outperforms many neighbors, and its CRNA market ($252,721) is above the national mean and competitive with Connecticut ($250,058) and Virginia ($243,259).
Neighbouring states
3 of 4 neighbours pay more than Rhode Island
Sources and methodology
Where these numbers come from
Sources
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Rhode Island RN, NP and CRNA estimates
- Regional Price Parities by StateU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · Rhode Island 99.7
- ICU, ER and travel nurse pay, 2026ZipRecruiter posted rates; travel packages from Vivian Health
- CRNA pay, 2026TheCRNA.com blended dataset (BLS OEWS plus 2026 listings)
- Nurse Licensure Compact statusNCSBN membership, via the compact license map
- Staffing ratio law statusThe Nursing Directory ratio law tracker
Methodology
Ranks cover the 50 states and DC; a role ranks among the states that publish it. Adjusted pay divides the Rhode Island mean by its regional price parity, so prices 0.3% below average lift it by the same share.
Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. ICU and ER are specialties within the RN occupation with no separate federal series, so they come from 2026 aggregator data. Travel figures are posted base pay and exclude stipends. Figures last updated Sep 30, 2026.
Estimates only. Not tax or legal advice. Verify pay and licensing with the employer and the board of nursing before you sign.
Sources and method
Last updated
Registered nurse, nurse practitioner and licensed practical nurse figures on this page are Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, released May 15, 2026, the most recent federal release, except where BLS suppressed a state estimate and the page names another source. Travel nurse, CRNA, ICU and ER figures come from private publishers named on the page (ZipRecruiter, Vivian Health, Salary.com, TheCRNA), which build their estimates from job postings or self-reported pay rather than employer payroll records. An automated check compares the figures on this page with the site's salary dataset on every change.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: wage estimates by occupation and state, released May 15, 2026.
- BLS OEWS: registered nurses (29-1141): registered nurse wages, national and by state.