Industry Sectors
Learn about the diversity of Rhode Island’s industries and sectors — from Info-Tech and Digital Media to Marine and Defense — and find industry-specific tools and resources to help grow your business in Rhode Island.
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Consumer Products and Design
Rhode Island’s consumer product manufacturing sector employed more than 26,000 highly skilled workers with $1.2 billion in total wages in 2006. Comprised of strong activity in product design, textile manufacturing, food production and jewelry making, Rhode Island’s consumer product sector is home to companies such as CVS, Hasbro, AT Cross, Swarovski, Tiffany & Co. and Autocrat. -
Defense and Homeland Security
The Rhode Island defense industry — comprised of more than 100 organizations — employed more than 16,000 people and generated $2 billion in revenue in 2006. In the same year, more than $115 million in Homeland Security spending was invested in Rhode Island defense organizations. Only in Rhode Island can you find such a diverse portfolio of defense-related expertise concentrated in such a small geographic footprint. -
Financial Services
Perfectly situated in the Northeast corridor between Boston and New York, Rhode Island has become a strategic location of choice for more than 1,400 financial services companies. Ranked among the top five highest paying sectors of the state’s economy, Rhode Island’s financial services sector created more than $2.2 billion in wages in 2006. Industry leaders say Rhode Island’s location, regulatory framework and competitive tax structure have made the state a natural fit for financial services firms looking to grow. -
Health and Life Sciences
The health and life sciences industry is one of Rhode Island’s strongest sectors, with enormous growth potential. Today, more than 35,000 people are employed in the state’s healthcare and life sciences sector, spread across more than 1,400 businesses. Why have so many companies chosen Rhode Island? -
Information Technology and Digital Media
The information technology and digital media (ITDM) sector is the fastest growing sector in the United States and is expected to grow 68 percent by 2012. In Rhode Island, the ITDM sector accounts for just under 16,000 jobs and more than $1 billion in wages. In 2005, the sector led the state’s other high-wage sectors in per capita income by nearly 17 percent. -
Manufacturing and Industrial Products
Manufacturing in Rhode Island supports 51,000 jobs across 2,000 firms that include everything from traditional metal working to ultra modern bio-manufacturing. Forty-one percent of Rhode Island’s manufacturing jobs are classified as progressive manufacturing and for companies that want to innovate, Rhode Island is a profitable place to be. -
Marine Trades
Rhode Island is home to one of the great marine industry centers in the world. Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound provide a first-class setting for boat and ship building, marine electronics, environmental research and development, fisheries, aquaculture and more. The industry is comprised of more than 800 companies and more than 12,000 highly skilled employees. From the small niche players to larger global firms, these companies are setting gold standards for innovation in the marine trades sector. -
Tourism and Hospitality
Travel and tourism is one of Rhode Island’s most valued industries, ultimately generating more than $2.17 billion for the state’s economy. With more than 100 beaches, 400 miles of picture perfect shoreline, historical and cultural attractions, and world-class dining, it is no surprise that tourism and hospitality is Rhode Island’s second largest industry, supporting 63,368 jobs and $5 billion in spending in 2006.
Katharine Flynn