2026 Salary — Rhode Island
Updated April 29, 2026
Security Engineer Salary in Rhode Island: $146K Median
Security Engineers in Rhode Island earn between $95K and $241K per year.
That's +3% above the US national median.
Quick Answer
As of April 2026, the median Security Engineer salary in Rhode Island is $146,260 per year — +3% above the US national median of $142,000. Salaries range from $95,069 (entry, 25th percentile) to $241,329 (90th percentile). Rhode Island's cost-of-living index is 110. State income tax applies.
Median
$146,260
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$114,083
Experienced
$193,063
Top 10%
$241,329
About Security Engineers in Rhode Island
Security engineers design and implement systems that protect organizations from cyber threats. They build secure infrastructure, perform threat modeling, and respond to incidents.
Hot 2026 Skills
zero-trustcloud security (AWS/GCP)threat modelingEDR/XDRKubernetes securityAI security
ATS Keywords
CISSPzero-trustthreat modelingEDRSIEMpenetration testingcloud securityIAMincident responseNIST
How to Negotiate Your Security Engineer Salary in Rhode Island
Walk-away anchor: $127,183.
Leverage Points
- Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
- Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
- Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
- Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems
Negotiate Beyond Base
Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years
Security Engineer Salary FAQ — Rhode Island
What is the average Security Engineer salary in Rhode Island?
The average Security Engineer salary in Rhode Island is $146,260 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $95,069 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $241,329 (90th percentile). State income tax applies.
How does Security Engineer pay in Rhode Island compare to the US average?
Security Engineers in Rhode Island earn approximately 3% more than the US national median ($142,000 nationally vs $146,260 in Rhode Island). Rhode Island's cost-of-living index of 110 is close to the national average.
Did Security Engineer salaries in Rhode Island increase in 2026?
Yes — Security Engineer salaries in Rhode Island grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $23,590 in 2025 to $146,260 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by zero-trust and cloud security (AWS/GCP) demand.
Which Rhode Island cities pay Security Engineers the most?
Rhode Island has no major metros in our database — fallback to the closest tracked city for detailed breakdowns.
What's the job outlook for Security Engineers in Rhode Island?
Security engineer demand projected to grow 32% through 2034 — among the fastest in tech. Severe talent shortage with 700K+ unfilled US cybersecurity roles. Rhode Island's top industries include Healthcare, Education, Defense (Naval), and the state's unemployment rate is 4.5% — steady demand for skilled workers.
Does Rhode Island have state income tax?
Yes, Rhode Island has state income tax. This affects take-home pay — at $146,260, expect 4-7% effective state tax depending on filing status. See city pages for detailed take-home calculations.
What skills are most in demand for Security Engineers in 2026?
Hottest 2026 skills: zero-trust, cloud security (AWS/GCP), threat modeling, EDR/XDR, Kubernetes security, AI security. ATS systems specifically scan for these. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — improves your match rate with Rhode Island employers.
How can I increase my Security Engineer salary in Rhode Island?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Beyond base, negotiate: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance. Walk-away anchor for Rhode Island: $127,183.
Methodology
Rhode Island Security Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($142,000) adjusted by Rhode Island's state multiplier (1.03×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.
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