A Physician Assistant earning $90K/year in Rhode Island takes home $68,586 after all taxes. That’s $5,715/month, with an effective tax rate of 23.8%.
The estimated median salary for Physician Assistants in Rhode Island is $126K (adjusted from the national median of $120K using Rhode Island’s cost-of-living index of 105). At $90K, you’re earning 29% below the state-adjusted median for this profession.
You’re earning slightly below the state-adjusted median, which is common for mid-career Physician Assistants or those in lower-cost areas within Rhode Island. The salary range for Physician Assistants nationally is 90K–160K, so there’s room for growth as you gain experience and specialization.
Filing as married filing jointly on $90K (single earner) saves you $4,585/year ($382/month) compared to filing single. This marriage bonus comes from the doubled standard deduction ($32,200 vs $16,100) and wider lower brackets.
Physician assistants who take on locum tenens (temporary) assignments may receive 1099 income subject to self-employment tax. If you work in multiple states during a year, you may owe taxes in each state where you practiced. Continuing medical education (CME) expenses are no longer deductible federally as unreimbursed employee expenses, but some employers reimburse them tax-free. If you carry student loan debt, the student loan interest deduction (up to $2,500) phases out at higher income levels.
At #23 out of 50 states for take-home pay on a $90K salary, Rhode Island falls in the upper half of states. You’d keep $3,504 more per year in Alaska (#1), or $292/month.
After adjusting for cost of living, Rhode Island ranks #39 in purchasing power. That’s a drop from #23 in raw take-home — Rhode Island’s higher cost of living erodes some of your advantage.