In 2023, the median state and local government worker in Rhode Island earned $37.61 an hour against $32.23 in the private sector, a gap of +17%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $61.14 against $71.63 privately (-15%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Education (+33%), and government pay holds up best in Education (+33%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in Rhode Island by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $37.61 | $32.23 | +17% | $61.14 | $71.63 | -15% |
| Admin and clerical * | $30.70 | $25.79 | +19% | $44.77 | $42.98 | +4% |
| Education | $42.98 | $32.23 | +33% | $58.02 | $53.72 | +8% |
| Engineering * | $50.77 | $52.65 | -4% | $73.48 | $91.58 | -20% |
| Finance * | $45.67 | $48.35 | -6% | $53.74 | $107.45 | -50% |
| Healthcare * | $45.47 | $45.32 | 0% | $61.32 | $86.13 | -29% |
| Legal * | $39.54 | $47.39 | -17% | $82.06 | $148.44 | -45% |
| Management * | $49.14 | $51.04 | -4% | $83.68 | $98.85 | -15% |
| Protective service * | $35.61 | $34.78 | +2% | $58.29 | $59.94 | -3% |
| Skilled trades * | $29.61 | $32.23 | -8% | $62.32 | $53.63 | +16% |
| Software and IT * | $47.69 | $48.06 | -1% | $77.63 | $84.83 | -8% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.