Average Salaries in Fort Smith, AR-OK
Explore salaries across 297 occupations in Fort Smith, AR-OK. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $50.6K, -17.8% 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 2024 estimates. Coverage: 297 occupations and 90,600 total jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK.
How the metro compares
Fort Smith, AR-OK is among the lower-paying metros. Most occupations here earn less than their national averages, though cost of living is typically lower too.
Fort Smith, AR-OK is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Dentists, General. 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 Fort Smith, AR-OK
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.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Fort Smith, AR-OK
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists, General | $158.1K | 80 |
| Pharmacists | $131.4K | 200 |
| Computer Network Architects | $124.7K | 40 |
| Chief Executives | $116.7K | 130 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $115.6K | 50 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $111.9K | 270 |
| Purchasing Managers | $106.9K | 60 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $105.5K | 160 |
| Financial Managers | $105.1K | 400 |
| Civil Engineers | $104.3K | 130 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Fort Smith, AR-OK
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,310 | $60.2K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,860 | $24.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,590 | $28.8K |
| General And Operations Managers | 2,560 | $62.0K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 2,390 | $27.6K |
| Meat, Poultry, And Fish Cutters And Trimmers | 2,330 | $36.2K |
| Cashiers | 2,230 | $27.0K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 2,230 | $31.2K |
| Registered Nurses | 2,110 | $77.0K |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,940 | $36.0K |
What Fort Smith, AR-OK 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 Fort Smith, AR-OK than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Fort Smith, AR-OK
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Meat, Poultry, And Fish Cutters And Trimmers | 26.35 | $36.2K |
| Tool Grinders, Filers, And Sharpeners | 9.23 | $37.2K |
| Cutting And Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 8.69 | $42.7K |
| Gas Plant Operators | 7.95 | $78.3K |
| Machine Feeders And Offbearers | 6.77 | $37.0K |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 5.49 | $41.8K |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, And Related Repairers | 4.57 | $50.3K |
| Helpers--Production Workers | 4.40 | $35.9K |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 3.77 | $41.8K |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 3.49 | $54.8K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Fort Smith, AR-OK
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 metros 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.