$15 an Hour in Rhode Island — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)

At $15/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $31,200. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Rhode Island state income tax, your take-home pay is $12.73/hr. In Rhode Island's high cost-of-living environment, this is below what's needed for comfortable living in Rhode Island.

Gross Annual
$31,200
Net Annual
$26,475
Net Monthly
$2,206
Net Hourly
$12.73

Pay Period Breakdown

Period Gross Tax Net
Hourly $15.00 $2.27 $12.73
Daily (8 hrs) $120.00 $18.17 $101.83
Weekly (40 hrs) $600.00 $90.87 $509.13
Biweekly $1,200.00 $181.74 $1,018.26
Monthly $2,600.00 $393.76 $2,206.24
Annual $31,200 $4,725 $26,475

Full Tax Breakdown — Rhode Island, Single Filer

Item Rate / Notes Amount
Gross Annual Income $15/hr × 2,080 hrs $31,200
Federal Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
Federal Taxable Income $15,100
Federal Income Tax 5.0% −$1,564.00
Social Security (6.2%) up to $168,600 −$1,934.40
Medicare (1.45%) −$452.40
Rhode Island Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$10,550
Rhode Island State Income Tax 2.5% −$774.38
Total Tax 15.1% effective −$4,725.18
Net Take-Home $26,475

How Does Rhode Island Compare?

See how $15/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:

Equivalent Annual Salary Pages

$15/hr = $31,200/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:

Adjacent Rates in Rhode Island

Same Rate, Other States

Cost of Living in Rhode Island

✗ Difficult — $15/hr falls short in Rhode Island
  • Avg 1BR rent in Providence: $1,500/mo — over the 30% rule (58% of gross monthly)
  • Minimum comfortable income in Rhode Island: $50,000/yr
  • Your net annual: $26,475 ($23,525 below comfortable threshold)
  • Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$12.6/hr

Working at $15/hr in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's standard deduction of $10,550 shields a meaningful portion of income at lower wages. Providence 1BR rents average $1,400/month. The state's small size and Boston proximity create a unique market — workers can access either economy.

At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 118 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Providence (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 1.0x Rhode Island's minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in Rhode Island is 15.1% -- federal income tax accounts for 5.0%, FICA 7.7%, and Rhode Island state tax 2.5%.

Rhode Island has a small economy anchored by healthcare (Lifespan, Care New England), education (Brown University, RISD), tourism (Newport), and a modest manufacturing sector. Proximity to Boston is a major economic driver.

Rhode Island has a progressive income tax with rates from 3.75% to 5.99%. The state has a standard deduction of $10,550 for single filers.

Rhode Island's minimum wage is $15.00/hr (2026).

Monthly Budget on $15/hr in Rhode Island

Based on $2,206/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for Rhode Island's cost of living.

Category Monthly Annual % of Net
Rent / Housing $1,500 $18,000 68.0%
Food (groceries + dining) $265 $3,180 12.0%
Transportation $221 $2,652 10.0%
Utilities $132 $1,584 6.0%
Healthcare $110 $1,320 5.0%
Entertainment $110 $1,320 5.0%
Savings (10% target) $221 $2,652 10.0%
Remaining / Surplus $-353 $-4,236 -16.0%

⚠ This budget is underwater — rent alone exceeds the 30% guideline in Rhode Island at $15/hr. Consider roommates, lower-cost areas, or targeting a higher wage to reach balance.

Overtime Pay — $15/hr in Rhode Island

At time-and-a-half ($22.50/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in Rhode Island. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~17.2%.

Extra Hours/Week OT Gross/Week Net/Week (est.) Added Net/Year
5 hrs/week $113 $93 $4,650
10 hrs/week $225 $186 $9,300
20 hrs/week $450 $373 $18,650

Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $15/hr

How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $12.73 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.

Purchase Price Gross Hours Net Hours
Tank of gas (12 gal) $50 3.4 hrs 4 hrs
Week of groceries $120 8 hrs 9.5 hrs
iPhone 16 (base) $799 53.3 hrs 62.8 hrs
1 month rent (Providence) $1,500 100 hrs 117.9 hrs
Used car ($10k) $10,000 666.7 hrs 785.7 hrs
Median new car ($48k) $48,000 3200 hrs 3771.2 hrs

Frequently Asked Questions

15 an hour -- is it a good wage in Rhode Island?

15/hr in Rhode Island gives you $26,475/year after taxes -- below what's needed for comfortable living in Rhode Island. Avg 1BR rent in Providence: $1,500/month (exceeds the 30% rule).

What is 15 an hour after taxes in Rhode Island?

15/hr in Rhode Island = $26,475/year or $2,206/month net. Effective rate: 15.1%.

How does 15/hr go further -- Rhode Island or Texas?

15/hr in Rhode Island has similar purchasing power to ~12.6/hr in Texas.

What does 15/hr look like as a monthly budget in Rhode Island?

On $2,206/month in Rhode Island: rent $1,500, food $265, transport $221, savings $221, surplus ~$0.

How much does overtime add at 15/hr in Rhode Island?

At 1.5x (22.50/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$4,650/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$9,300/year.