High paying entry level jobs in Arkansas

These occupations in Arkansas ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Arkansas run 13.1% below the national average (2024), so a Arkansas salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Arkansas.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Arkansas

OccupationMedian, Arkansas · Employed

1Dentists, General$178,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,010 – $223,0101,210
2Pharmacists$136,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,560 – $164,9402,900
3Nurse Practitioners$125,660
Master's degree
$99,420 – $205,8103,970
4Physician Assistants$118,430
Master's degree
$88,160 – $159,080850
5Computer Programmers$111,840
Bachelor's degree
$63,520 – $167,0201,050
6Data Scientists$109,390
Bachelor's degree
$67,090 – $169,110530
7Veterinarians$107,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,870 – $153,370540
8Occupational Therapists$106,360
Master's degree
$65,160 – $144,2502,160
9Statisticians$105,720
Master's degree
$64,080 – $161,920570
10Software Developers$104,490
Bachelor's degree
$60,570 – $162,3806,050
11Physical Therapists$99,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,050 – $127,2102,680
12Lawyers$98,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,900 – $220,6603,430
13Industrial Engineers$98,410
Bachelor's degree
$71,880 – $137,5201,710
14Electrical Engineers$96,860
Bachelor's degree
$67,920 – $136,770900
15Computer Occupations, All Other$86,940
Bachelor's degree
$45,770 – $135,1401,120
16Dental Hygienists$86,760
Associate's degree
$62,170 – $97,7301,740
17Civil Engineers$85,020
Bachelor's degree
$44,810 – $132,4601,870
18Database Administrators$82,480
Bachelor's degree
$53,690 – $127,850420
19Computer Systems Analysts$81,760
Bachelor's degree
$29,750 – $136,2704,100
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$81,590
Bachelor's degree
$52,190 – $131,1401,750
21Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,500
Associate's degree
$64,280 – $102,190640
22Financial and Investment Analysts$81,110
Bachelor's degree
$48,850 – $137,2101,390
23Mechanical Engineers$80,180
Bachelor's degree
$57,650 – $131,8401,410
24Registered Nurses$78,940
Bachelor's degree
$60,780 – $103,66029,400
25Occupational Therapy Assistants$78,940
Associate's degree
$50,710 – $98,960730
26Logisticians$78,400
Bachelor's degree
$45,780 – $134,9102,220
27Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$77,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$34,860 – $129,250430
28Project Management Specialists$77,170
Bachelor's degree
$47,620 – $133,4205,510
29Engineers, All Other$76,940
Bachelor's degree
$44,470 – $147,980820
30Respiratory Therapists$73,870
Associate's degree
$59,550 – $93,4801,400
31Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$73,130
Bachelor's degree
$47,810 – $113,920850
32Interior Designers$69,990
Bachelor's degree
$45,390 – $137,160740
33Accountants and Auditors$66,330
Bachelor's degree
$45,810 – $119,5207,870
34Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,430
Bachelor's degree
$34,560 – $136,3106,250
35Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$65,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,900 – $78,690720
36Public Relations Specialists$65,000
Bachelor's degree
$39,170 – $137,190980
37Business Teachers, Postsecondary$64,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,500 – $167,190450
38Physical Therapist Assistants$64,520
Associate's degree
$31,540 – $85,2801,620
39Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$63,640
Associate's degree
$46,810 – $94,1802,210
40Architectural and Civil Drafters$62,420
Associate's degree
$49,880 – $81,490980
41Therapists, All Other$61,920
Bachelor's degree
$43,870 – $127,800460
42Business Operations Specialists, All Other$61,240
Bachelor's degree
$37,390 – $115,5008,200
43Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$59,770
Master's degree
$38,520 – $78,0702,310
44Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,660
Bachelor's degree
$49,430 – $75,76012,890
45Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,570
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $74,1006,140
46Surgical Technologists$57,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,750 – $75,4601,640
47Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$57,000
Bachelor's degree
$47,820 – $66,5001,280
48Special Education Teachers, Middle School$56,830
Bachelor's degree
$48,840 – $66,560750
49Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$56,800
Master's degree
$31,640 – $73,2101,490
50Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$56,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,670 – $65,02010,010

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianArkansas	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$178,930	$99,010 – $223,010	1,210
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,060	$105,560 – $164,940	2,900
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$125,660	$99,420 – $205,810	3,970
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$118,430	$88,160 – $159,080	850
5	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$111,840	$63,520 – $167,020	1,050
6	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$109,390	$67,090 – $169,110	530
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$107,710	$38,870 – $153,370	540
8	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$106,360	$65,160 – $144,250	2,160
9	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$105,720	$64,080 – $161,920	570
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$104,490	$60,570 – $162,380	6,050
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,010	$73,050 – $127,210	2,680
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$98,880	$49,900 – $220,660	3,430
13	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,410	$71,880 – $137,520	1,710
14	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,860	$67,920 – $136,770	900
15	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$86,940	$45,770 – $135,140	1,120
16	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,760	$62,170 – $97,730	1,740
17	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$85,020	$44,810 – $132,460	1,870
18	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,480	$53,690 – $127,850	420
19	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,760	$29,750 – $136,270	4,100
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$81,590	$52,190 – $131,140	1,750
21	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,500	$64,280 – $102,190	640
22	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,110	$48,850 – $137,210	1,390
23	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$80,180	$57,650 – $131,840	1,410
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,940	$60,780 – $103,660	29,400
25	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,940	$50,710 – $98,960	730
26	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,400	$45,780 – $134,910	2,220
27	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,670	$34,860 – $129,250	430
28	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,170	$47,620 – $133,420	5,510
29	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,940	$44,470 – $147,980	820
30	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$73,870	$59,550 – $93,480	1,400
31	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$73,130	$47,810 – $113,920	850
32	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$69,990	$45,390 – $137,160	740
33	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$66,330	$45,810 – $119,520	7,870
34	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,430	$34,560 – $136,310	6,250
35	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,420	$39,900 – $78,690	720
36	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,000	$39,170 – $137,190	980
37	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$64,620	$35,500 – $167,190	450
38	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,520	$31,540 – $85,280	1,620
39	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,640	$46,810 – $94,180	2,210
40	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$62,420	$49,880 – $81,490	980
41	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,920	$43,870 – $127,800	460
42	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,240	$37,390 – $115,500	8,200
43	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$59,770	$38,520 – $78,070	2,310
44	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$59,660	$49,430 – $75,760	12,890
45	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$59,570	$49,780 – $74,100	6,140
46	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,400	$38,750 – $75,460	1,640
47	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$57,000	$47,820 – $66,500	1,280
48	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$56,830	$48,840 – $66,560	750
49	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$56,800	$31,640 – $73,210	1,490
50	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,620	$44,670 – $65,020	10,010

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Arkansas. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Arkansas

Metro areas in Arkansas

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Arkansas

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Arkansas to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Arkansas

More for Arkansas

Metro areas in Arkansas

By field in Arkansas

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state