Living on minimum wage · Rhode Island
Living on Minimum Wage in Rhode Island
A full-time job at Rhode Island’s $16.00 minimum wage pays $33,280 a year. After federal taxes that is about $2,403 a month, the 7th-highest take-home of the 51 states and DC (tied).
- Take-home a month $2,403 single, after federal tax
- Take-home a year $28,830 87% of $33,280
- Real hourly pay $13.86 after tax, of $16.00
- Work for $100 of goods 7.7 hrs incl. 7% sales tax
From gross pay to take-home
| Year | Month | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $33,280 | $2,773 | $1,280 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,904 | −$159 | −$73 |
| Social Security & Medicare | −$2,546 | −$212 | −$98 |
| Take-home | $28,830 | $2,403 | $1,109 |
Figures assume 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, a single filer and the 2026 standard deduction. Rhode Island state income tax is not included, so an actual paycheck here will be somewhat lower. For a different situation, use the take-home pay calculator.
Compared with the federal minimum
A full-time worker in Rhode Island takes home about $14,904 more a year than someone paid the $7.25 federal minimum, who keeps $13,926. The highest take-home is in District of Columbia, at $32,842. See this state’s rate history and rank on minimum wage in Rhode Island.
What spending costs in hours of work
The combined sales tax in Providence is 7%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $107.00 at the register. At $13.86 of take-home pay an hour, that takes about 7.7 hours of work, the 9th-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Rates differ across the state; see sales tax in Rhode Island for other cities.
Two earners
A couple who both work full-time at minimum wage and file jointly earn $66,560 and take home about $4,805 a month after federal taxes.
How big a mortgage minimum wage supports
Lenders commonly cap housing costs at 28% of gross pay. At this week’s 6.76% 30-year rate, that lets one full-time earner here borrow about $119,602 and a two-earner couple about $239,205, before property tax and insurance. See what a $225,000 mortgage costs month to month.
Minimum wage in Rhode Island: take-home FAQ
What is take-home pay on minimum wage in Rhode Island?
Full-time at $16.00 an hour, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, earns $33,280 a year. After $1,904 of federal income tax and $2,546 of Social Security and Medicare, a single filer takes home about $28,830, or $2,403 a month. Rhode Island state income tax is not included, so an actual paycheck here will be somewhat lower.
How much federal tax does a minimum wage worker pay in Rhode Island?
About $1,904 of federal income tax and $2,546 of Social Security and Medicare, using 2026 brackets and the standard deduction for a single filer. Together that is 13% of gross pay.
How long does a minimum wage worker in Rhode Island work to buy $100 of goods?
The combined sales tax in Providence is 7%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $107.00 at the register. At a take-home rate of $13.86 an hour, that is about 7.7 hours of work, the 9th-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Can you afford a mortgage on minimum wage in Rhode Island?
Keeping principal and interest to 28% of gross pay at this week’s 6.76% 30-year rate, one full-time minimum wage earner could borrow about $119,602. Two full-time earners could borrow about $239,205, before property tax and insurance.
2026 state minimum wage, 2026 federal brackets for a single filer with the standard deduction, and Social Security and Medicare at 7.65%. State and local income taxes are not included . Sales tax is the combined rate for one downtown ZIP code in Providence.
Data: U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue, via APIVerve. Our tables, charts and text are licensed CC BY-NC 4.0: share and adapt them for non-commercial use as long as you credit us. For commercial use or bulk data, use the APIVerve API. See the data terms. Cite as: Digest Your Finances, “Living on Minimum Wage by State”, https://digestyourfinances.com/studies/living-on-minimum-wage/rhode-island/ — based on U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue. CC BY-NC 4.0.
