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Continuous cropping of rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) and wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) deplete soil fertility, reduced crop productivity, and grower’s income. Phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are considered important nutritional constraints under rice-wheat cropping system. One strategy to increase crop productivity and grower’s income under the rice-wheat system is the balanced application of P and Zn fertilizers. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of sole and various combinations of P (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha⁻¹) and Zn levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 kg ha⁻¹) on productivity (grain yield and yield components) and profitability (net returns) of different rice genotypes (cultivars) (fine (cv.Bamati-385) vs. coarse (cv. Fakhre-e-Malakand and cv. Pukhraj)) and their residual effect on the income of the succeeding wheat crop (cv. Siran-2010). The results revealed that both rice and wheat productivity and profitability was higher with the combined application of both nutrients at higher rates (80 and 120 kg P ha⁻¹ and 10 and 15 kg Zn ha⁻¹). The highest productivity and profitability was obtained with the cultivation of hybrid rice “Pukhraj” (Pukhraj > Fakhre-e-Malakand > Basmati-385). It was concluded from this study that application of higher P and Zn levels and growing of hybrid rice increased productivity and profitability under the rice-wheat cropping system.