Average Salaries in Arkansas
Explore salaries across 682 occupations in Arkansas. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $58.4K, -11.1% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 682 occupations and 1,291,640 total jobs in Arkansas.
How the state compares
Arkansas pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Arkansas has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Dermatologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Arkansas
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Arkansas
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dermatologists | $422.1K | 40 |
| Neurologists | $317.9K | 70 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $262.5K | 350 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $259.3K | 30 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $254.9K | 280 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $233.1K | 290 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $232.7K | 40 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $224.3K | N/A |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $215.8K | 290 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $214.1K | 130 |
Largest occupations in Arkansas
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 35,660 | $26.3K |
| Retail Salespersons | 35,510 | $29.3K |
| General And Operations Managers | 34,570 | $74.1K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 32,220 | $51.6K |
| Office Clerks, General | 29,940 | $37.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 29,400 | $78.9K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 28,350 | $34.7K |
| Cashiers | 28,270 | $27.7K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 21,430 | $35.9K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 20,680 | $37.8K |
What Arkansas specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Arkansas than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Arkansas
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Graders And Sorters, Agricultural Products | 7.84 | $35.3K |
| Log Graders And Scalers | 7.43 | $42.3K |
| Meat, Poultry, And Fish Cutters And Trimmers | 7.39 | $38K |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | 7.34 | $33.5K |
| Logging Equipment Operators | 7.26 | $48.3K |
| Forest Fire Inspectors And Prevention Specialists | 5.88 | $43.3K |
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | 5.36 | N/A |
| Helpers--Production Workers | 4.86 | $35.5K |
| Cooling And Freezing Equipment Operators And Tenders | 4.63 | $38.1K |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, And Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 4.44 | $48.3K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Arkansas
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Arkansas
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $57K | 350,770 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $59.6K | 260,330 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $53.7K | 89,090 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $55.4K | 55,540 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $51.8K | 33,280 |
Common salary questions for Arkansas
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.