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Average Salary in Arkansas
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Arkansas, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 647 occupations in Arkansas. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Arkansas's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Arkansas jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Arkansas
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Arkansas is dermatologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 475.3% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 50 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Arkansas pays 12.3% higher for this work. Next on the list are physicians, pathologists at a mean of $239,200+ and ophthalmologists, except pediatric at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 180 people in Arkansas, so they describe the top of the Arkansas wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatologists | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 90 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 40 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 2,300 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 50 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 90 | $93.96 | $195,430 | $215,360 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 70 | $84.48 | $175,720 | $188,920 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | 220 | $92.74 | $192,910 | $181,800 |
| Dentists, General | 990 | $82.93 | $172,490 | $178,290 |
| Chief Executives | 2,270 | $58.28 | $121,220 | $177,460 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,980 | — | $178,830 | $160,210 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 340 | — | $165,980 | $158,600 |
| Public Relations Managers | 260 | $67.77 | $140,970 | $158,470 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 320 | $64.63 | $134,430 | $156,220 |
| Sales Managers | 3,350 | $57.69 | $119,990 | $147,840 |
Largest occupations in Arkansas
The occupation with the most jobs in Arkansas is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 36,150 people at a median annual wage of $26,740 and a mean of $27,010. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Arkansas's typical pay for this work runs 12.3% lower. The next-largest occupations are general and operations managers (35,710 jobs, median $64,260) and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (32,290 jobs, median $49,520). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Arkansas pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 36,150 | $26,740 | $27,010 |
| General and Operations Managers | 35,710 | $64,260 | $87,730 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 32,290 | $49,520 | $56,570 |
| Retail Salespersons | 31,350 | $29,420 | $33,070 |
| Cashiers | 30,620 | $27,370 | $27,720 |
| Office Clerks, General | 30,390 | $36,480 | $39,320 |
| Registered Nurses | 28,320 | $77,130 | $77,720 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 27,300 | $31,620 | $34,920 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 23,060 | $35,090 | $35,530 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 21,120 | $37,490 | $40,530 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 19,720 | $27,110 | $27,520 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 17,820 | $26,350 | $29,380 |
| Nursing Assistants | 17,620 | $31,990 | $33,350 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 17,360 | $29,540 | $31,580 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 14,580 | $56,640 | $58,920 |
Where Arkansas pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Arkansas median with its own national median shows where Arkansas's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Arkansas jobs, the largest premium is for health specialties teachers, postsecondary: a median of $178,830 in Arkansas versus $105,620 nationally, 69.3% higher. The largest discount is for family medicine physicians, at $62,360 in Arkansas versus $238,380 nationally, 73.8% lower. In total, 8 of the 228 occupations with 1,000 or more Arkansas jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 135 of the 647 occupations published for Arkansas have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Arkansas's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Arkansas median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $178,830 | $105,620 | +69.3% |
| Printing Press Operators | $48,310 | $45,160 | +7.0% |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $48,600 | $46,020 | +5.6% |
| Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,570 | $46,980 | +3.4% |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $67,230 | $65,510 | +2.6% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $59,880 | $100,070 | -40.2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $63,350 | $105,980 | -40.2% |
| Chief Executives | $121,220 | $206,420 | -41.3% |
| Lawyers | $86,970 | $151,160 | -42.5% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $62,360 | $238,380 | -73.8% |
Arkansas salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Arkansas?
By average pay, dermatologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Arkansas, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Arkansas?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Arkansas, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $26,740 across 36,150 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 647 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Arkansas have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Arkansas, with an estimated 36,150 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $27,010.
Which occupations pay more in Arkansas than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Arkansas jobs, health specialties teachers, postsecondary shows the largest premium: a median of $178,830 in Arkansas versus $105,620 nationally, 69.3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.