SOC 49-9092 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Commercial Divers — Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 1 metro areas compared
The median wage for Commercial Divers in Rhode Island is $126,320 per year, well above the national median of $72,990.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +8.5%
- Openings per year
- 400
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
16.6% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Rhode Island.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Commercial Divers in Rhode Island is $126,320 per year, well above the national median of $72,990. The gap of 73.1% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $73,130 at the tenth percentile to more than $126,340 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $126,320 to $126,340.
Among the 19 states with published data for this occupation, Rhode Island ranks 3rd by median wage. Providence leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $126,320. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 50th of 545 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $73,130 | +0.2% |
| 25th | $126,320 | +73.1% |
| Median (50th) | $126,320 | +73.1% |
| 75th | $126,340 | +73.1% |
| 90th | $126,340 | +73.1% |
| Mean | $117,430 | +60.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Rhode Island
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | $126,320 | — |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Rhode Island run 2.3% above the national average, so the median of $126,320 buys what $123,480 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 69.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$126,320as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$123,480US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $126,320 a year, 73.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $73,130 to $126,340 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- It ranks 3rd of 19 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Providence, at $126,320.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Commercial Divers in Rhode Island?
The median annual wage is $126,320, or $60.73 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $72,990, so pay in Rhode Island is 73.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Rhode Island earns more than $126,340 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $73,130 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Providence, at $126,320 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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