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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Providence, RI (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$94,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$84K–$108K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.5%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~28
Providence metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Providence at market, plan on a base salary range of $84,000 to $108,000, with $94,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 28 days, expect to lead at $108K–$124K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Rhode Island does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Providence

Three pay positions, modeled against current Providence market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$76K–$84K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Providence average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$90K–$99.6K
Default for most Providence employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~28 days. A range width of ~30% (min $84,000 to max $108,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$102.4K–$124K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

RN salary percentile distribution in Providence, RI

Where the Providence market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $76K
25th $84K
Median $94K
75th $108K
90th $124K

Most Providence employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($94,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $84,000 and a max of $108,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Rhode Island pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Rhode Island.

Not required statewide. Rhode Island has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a RN role in Providence, a compliant good-faith range looks like $84,000 to $108,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $84,000–$108,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top RN employers in Providence — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring RNs in the Providence metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Lifespan Academic medical center system $92K–$118K Common ($8K–$15K)
Care New England Health system $90K–$115K Very common ($10K–$18K)
CharterCARE Health Partners Health system $88K–$112K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Hasbro Children's Hospital (Lifespan) Pediatric specialty $92K–$118K Common ($8K–$15K)
South County Hospital Community hospital $86K–$108K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Providence

How hard is it to fill a RN role in Providence.

~28
Avg Days to Fill
~1,050
Active Postings
~12,200
Providence RN Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Providence RN market driven by Lifespan, Care New England, and CharterCARE. RI has no statewide PT law but MA portion of MSA is covered by MA law.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Providence, RI

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN +7–11% Very high
Pediatric (Hasbro) +6–10% Very high
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard

RN total compensation in Providence — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for RNs in Providence. "Prevalence" reflects share of Providence disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Providence Postings
Base salary $94,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~88%
Sign-on bonus $8,000–$18,000 ~70%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~58%
Tuition reimbursement $3,000–$5,000/yr ~60%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$116K–$140K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

RN pay by setting in Providence — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RN range splits by employer type in the Providence metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $90,000 $80K–$104K Tight
ICU / Critical care $108,000 $96K–$125K Very high
Emergency department $104,000 $92K–$120K Very high
Pediatric (Hasbro) $106,000 $94K–$122K High
Ambulatory / clinic $78,000 $70K–$90K Moderate

RN salary in Providence vs. other Rhode Island and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Providence Hiring Difficulty
Providence–Warwick, RI-MA $94,000 — Above national avg
Boston–Cambridge–Nashua, MA-NH $118,000 +25.5% Tight
Hartford–West Hartford, CT $100,000 +6.4% Tight
New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA $105,000 +11.7% Above national avg
Rhode Island statewide $92,000 −2.1% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Providence, RI

Market median is $94,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $94,000 — typically $84,000 to $108,000. To lead the market, plan on $108K–$124K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Rhode Island. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $84,000–$108,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$84,000 falls below the Providence market median of $94,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 70% of Providence metro RN postings include a sign-on bonus. Care New England and CharterCARE lead with $10K–$18K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 28 days in the Providence metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($108K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($84K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Providence-metro posting volume: Lifespan, Care New England, CharterCARE Health Partners, Hasbro Children's Hospital (Lifespan), South County Hospital lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Providence — for example, $84,000 to $108,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Rhode Island has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related RN pay benchmarks — Rhode Island metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Boston, MA → RN pay benchmark — Hartford, CT → RN pay benchmark — New York, NY → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Providence
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Providence → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Providence → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.