The median math teacher salary in Rhode Island is $92,610 for high school teachers and $92,760 for middle school teachers, according to May 2025 BLS data. Both figures cover teachers of all subjects, including math. Both rank fifth among the 50 states and DC, though the top of Rhode Island’s pay range sits below the national top.
If you’re comparing teaching jobs in New England, Rhode Island pays near the top of the country. The catch is a narrow range: the gap between a typical salary and a top salary is small. Here’s what BLS reports for each grade band, how Rhode Island stacks up against Connecticut and Massachusetts, and what the job outlook looks like through 2034.
Math Teacher Salary in Rhode Island by Grade Level
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school teachers in Rhode Island earned a median annual salary of $92,610 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $92,760. BLS reports these figures for teachers of all subjects, including math. It has no separate math teacher category, so this is the closest official measure of a Rhode Island teacher salary in your subject.
Rhode Island is one of nine states where middle school teachers out-earn high school teachers at the median. The difference is small, $150, so plan on roughly the same pay whichever certification band you choose.
| Occupation | Employed | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 4,910 | $92,610 | $97,230 | $100,370 |
| Middle School Teachers | 2,370 | $92,760 | $95,610 | $99,150 |
How High Rhode Island Teacher Pay Goes
The top 10% of high school teachers in Rhode Island earned $100,370 or more as of May 2025. That’s only $7,760 above the state median. Nationally, the 90th percentile for high school teachers was $107,600, so the top of Rhode Island’s range sits below the national top even though its median is $20,570 higher.
Middle school pay shows the same pattern: $99,150 at the 90th percentile in Rhode Island, against $102,540 nationally. BLS percentiles aren’t experience levels, but they show how tightly Rhode Island salaries cluster around the median.
What Sets Your Pay in a Rhode Island District
BLS tells you what teachers earn across the state. It doesn’t tell you what one district will pay you. Each Rhode Island district sets pay in its own teacher contract, usually as a salary schedule with a step for each year of experience and a higher column for a master’s degree. Before you compare offers, find the current contract for each district you’re applying to and check which step you’d start on.
Every one of those schedules assumes you’re certified. If you aren’t yet, start with our guide to Rhode Island math teacher certification requirements, which covers the exams and the application.
How Rhode Island Compares to the National Median and Its Neighbors
Rhode Island high school teachers earned $20,570 more than the national median of $72,040 as of May 2025. The middle school gap is wider: Rhode Island sits $28,390 above the national median of $64,370. You can compare every state on our page of salaries for math teachers nationwide.
Rhode Island has two land neighbors, and this table covers both. Massachusetts pays high school teachers the most of the three, $2,650 more than Rhode Island at the median. Connecticut pays middle school teachers the most, $850 more than Rhode Island, but its high school median runs $11,640 below Rhode Island’s. For the full picture there, see our page on Connecticut math teacher salaries.
| State | High School Median | Middle School Median | High School Job Growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $92,610 | $92,760 | -1% |
| Connecticut | $80,970 | $93,610 | 2.7% |
| Massachusetts | $95,260 | $89,450 | 2% |
Both neighbors project growth in teaching jobs through 2034, while Rhode Island projects a small decline. Middle school employment follows the same split: Projections Central estimates 2.7% growth in Connecticut and 1.6% in Massachusetts.
Math Teacher Pay in the Providence-Warwick Metro Area
BLS reports one metro area for Rhode Island, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, and it crosses the state line into southeastern Massachusetts. That’s why the metro counts 6,770 high school teachers, more than the 4,910 statewide, and why its medians don’t match the state figures exactly.
In the Providence-Warwick area, the median annual wage for high school teachers was $92,110 as of May 2025, according to the BLS, $500 below the statewide median. Middle school teachers earned a median of $89,450, which puts high school teachers ahead in the metro even though middle school teachers lead statewide.
| Metro Area | High School Median | Middle School Median | Employed (High / Middle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $92,110 | $89,450 | 6,770 / 3,810 |
Job Outlook for Math Teachers in Rhode Island
Projections Central estimates employment of high school teachers in Rhode Island will decline about 1% between 2024 and 2034, from 4,900 to 4,860 jobs, with an average of 300 openings per year. Middle school employment is projected to fall about 1.4%, from 2,330 to 2,300 jobs, with an average of 150 openings per year.
Those openings come from teachers who retire or leave the profession, so positions keep turning over even while the total holds about steady. The state projections come from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.
Nationally, BLS projects little or no change in employment for high school teachers from 2025 to 2035, from 1,087,500 to 1,085,000 jobs, with about 63,500 openings a year. Middle school teachers are projected to go from 630,100 to 627,400 jobs, with about 38,800 openings a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do math teachers make in Rhode Island?
High school teachers in Rhode Island earned a median annual salary of $92,610 as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Middle school teachers earned $92,760. BLS reports these figures for teachers of all subjects, including math.
Do middle school teachers in Rhode Island earn less than high school teachers?
No. Rhode Island’s middle school median of $92,760 runs $150 above the high school median of $92,610 as of May 2025. In the Providence-Warwick metro area, which includes part of Massachusetts, high school teachers come out ahead, $92,110 to $89,450.
How does Rhode Island teacher pay compare to Massachusetts and Connecticut?
Massachusetts pays high school teachers the most of the three states, with a median of $95,260. Connecticut pays middle school teachers the most, at $93,610. Rhode Island sits between its two neighbors in both grade bands, according to May 2025 BLS data.
Are math teaching jobs growing in Rhode Island?
Not in total. Projections Central estimates high school teaching employment in Rhode Island will decline about 1% between 2024 and 2034, and middle school employment about 1.4%. The state still expects about 300 high school and 150 middle school openings a year as teachers retire or leave.
Why do some websites show much lower Rhode Island teacher salaries?
BLS figures come from a survey of employers that covers teachers at every experience level, so they can differ from estimates built from job postings or self-reported pay. The May 2025 BLS medians for Rhode Island are $92,610 for high school and $92,760 for middle school.
- State medians: High school teachers in Rhode Island earned a median of $92,610 and middle school teachers $92,760 as of May 2025, for all subjects including math.
- National rank: Both medians rank fifth among the 50 states and DC and sit more than $20,000 above the national figures.
- Narrow top: The 90th percentile for high school teachers is $100,370, below the national 90th percentile of $107,600.
- Neighbors: Rhode Island sits between Massachusetts and Connecticut in both grade bands, and both neighbors project job growth while Rhode Island projects a small decline.
- Openings: Projections Central expects about 300 high school and 150 middle school openings a year in Rhode Island through 2034.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Middle School Teachers and High School Teachers, which include teachers of all subjects. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026. National job outlook figures (2025-2035) are from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Where you land on a Rhode Island district’s salary schedule depends partly on the degree you bring. The schools listed here include math education programs you can compare by format, cost and how they place you for student teaching.