By State · Rhode Island

Women in Rhode Island: Pay, Representation, and Firsts

Everything the data says about women in Rhode Island — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.

85.6%
Women’s earnings as % of men’s in Rhode Island
Census ACS S2001
#10
of 51 US jurisdictions for pay equity (1 = highest)
Computed from state ratios
32.4%
Women in the Rhode Island state legislature
CAWP Rutgers 2024
#22
Rank for women’s legislative representation
Computed from CAWP data
1
Women from Rhode Island in 119th US Congress
CAWP 2025
2015
Year of first woman governor
CAWP State Executive

Where Rhode Island sits

Women in Rhode Island earn 85.6 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 14.4%. That puts Rhode Island #10 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity — top decile. The women-in-legislature figure of 32.4% ranks Rhode Island #22 nationally.

Notable firsts & figures

Gina Raimondo (2015-21) — first woman governor, later US Commerce Secretary (2021-25).

Professions in Rhode Island

State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in Rhode Island. Each page combines national BLS medians with Rhode Island’s Census ACS wage environment.

SurgeonsWomen surgeons in Rhode IslandDoctorsWomen doctors in Rhode IslandLawyersWomen lawyers in Rhode IslandRegistered NursesWomen nurses in Rhode IslandSoftware DevelopersWomen software developers in Rhode IslandChief ExecutivesWomen CEOs in Rhode IslandEngineersWomen engineers in Rhode IslandElementary TeachersWomen teachers in Rhode IslandAccountantsWomen accountants in Rhode IslandProfessorsWomen professors in Rhode IslandDentistsWomen dentists in Rhode IslandPharmacistsWomen pharmacists in Rhode IslandArchitectsWomen architects in Rhode IslandPsychologistsWomen psychologists in Rhode IslandAirline PilotsWomen airline pilots in Rhode IslandElectriciansWomen electricians in Rhode IslandPlumbersWomen plumbers in Rhode IslandPolice OfficersWomen police officers in Rhode IslandJournalistsWomen journalists in Rhode IslandFinancial AnalystsWomen financial analysts in Rhode Island

Fields in Rhode Island

AcademiaWomen in Academia in Rhode IslandConstruction and the Skilled Trades (2026)Women in Construction and the Skilled Trades (2026) in Rhode IslandEngineeringWomen in Engineering in Rhode IslandFinanceWomen in Finance in Rhode IslandLawWomen in Law in Rhode IslandMedicineWomen in Medicine in Rhode IslandSportsWomen in Sports in Rhode IslandTechWomen in Tech in Rhode IslandUS PoliticsWomen in US Politics in Rhode Island

Related national data

HistoricalWomen at work, 2000 NationalWomen in US politics ToolPay Gap Lookup (Rhode Island) CompareWomen vs men at work HubAll 51 US states

Frequently asked

What is the gender pay gap in Rhode Island?

Women in Rhode Island earn 85.6% of what men earn — a gap of 14.4%. Census ACS S2001 data.

How many women are in Rhode Island’s state legislature?

32.4% of Rhode Island state legislators are women — rank #22 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).

Has Rhode Island elected a woman governor?

Yes — the first woman governor of Rhode Island took office in 2015.

Has Rhode Island elected a woman US Senator?

No — Rhode Island has never elected a woman US Senator.

How many women does Rhode Island send to Congress?

1 women from Rhode Island serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).