High paying entry level jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK

These occupations in Fort Smith, AR-OK 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 Fort Smith, AR-OK run 14.1% below the national average (2024), so a Fort Smith, AR-OK salary is worth about 1.16× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK

OccupationMedian, Fort Smith, AR-OK · Employed

1Dentists, General$165,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,790 – $205,730100
2Pharmacists$133,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,760 – $165,370160
3Nurse Practitioners$129,270
Master's degree
$101,120 – $171,590270
4Physician Assistants$119,840
Master's degree
$103,490 – $165,75070
5Software Developers$114,140
Bachelor's degree
$58,640 – $155,180200
6Optometrists$109,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,960 – $166,94040
7Veterinarians$104,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,260 – $156,18040
8Civil Engineers$100,330
Bachelor's degree
$64,380 – $155,990110
9Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,140
Associate's degree
$74,420 – $102,19080
10Physical Therapists$98,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,800 – $129,460160
11Occupational Therapists$97,740
Master's degree
$37,330 – $133,070140
12Industrial Engineers$97,460
Bachelor's degree
$71,880 – $130,290150
13Computer Occupations, All Other$96,920
Bachelor's degree
$61,360 – $128,29070
14Lawyers$88,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,140 – $157,730170
15Computer Programmers$87,640
Bachelor's degree
$52,430 – $127,77050
16Dental Hygienists$84,480
Associate's degree
$57,440 – $98,300150
17Financial and Investment Analysts$82,300
Bachelor's degree
$47,450 – $127,32060
18Occupational Therapy Assistants$80,660
Associate's degree
$65,970 – $99,78040
19Engineers, All Other$79,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,660 – $143,19050
20Registered Nurses$79,870
Bachelor's degree
$58,540 – $98,5002,180
21Mechanical Engineers$78,950
Bachelor's degree
$56,170 – $129,770150
22Respiratory Therapists$78,080
Associate's degree
$60,680 – $79,070100
23Project Management Specialists$74,990
Bachelor's degree
$46,710 – $123,650290
24Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,270
Associate's degree
$47,470 – $108,28050
25Network and Computer Systems Administrators$73,620
Bachelor's degree
$51,200 – $127,070110
26Therapists, All Other$70,520
Bachelor's degree
$33,610 – $94,73060
27Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$66,270
Master's degree
$41,340 – $82,100160
28Logisticians$66,010
Bachelor's degree
$44,140 – $119,140140
29Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$64,410
Associate's degree
$38,080 – $80,310190
30Physical Therapist Assistants$63,210
Associate's degree
$37,500 – $79,550140
31Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,750 – $77,23030
32Accountants and Auditors$62,990
Bachelor's degree
$44,920 – $108,330520
33Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$62,770
Master's degree
$37,350 – $77,910100
34Surgical Technologists$61,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,390 – $102,400170
35Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$61,100
Bachelor's degree
$42,510 – $102,320100
36Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,960
Bachelor's degree
$47,690 – $81,220810
37Architectural and Civil Drafters$59,820
Associate's degree
$44,140 – $76,72050
38Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$59,360
Bachelor's degree
$47,350 – $76,56080
39Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$59,110
Bachelor's degree
$50,260 – $64,460120
40Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$59,050
Bachelor's degree
$49,230 – $77,380180
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$58,970
Bachelor's degree
$35,730 – $123,380290
42Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$58,960
Bachelor's degree
$48,700 – $75,090530
43Business Operations Specialists, All Other$58,710
Bachelor's degree
$34,520 – $114,290410
44Special Education Teachers, Middle School$56,430
Bachelor's degree
$46,550 – $67,32060
45Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$55,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,950 – $61,140960
46Public Relations Specialists$54,880
Bachelor's degree
$34,450 – $97,51050
47Human Resources Specialists$54,220
Bachelor's degree
$38,560 – $90,790400
48Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$52,620
Bachelor's degree
$46,990 – $81,430840
49Financial Specialists, All Other$52,060
Bachelor's degree
$36,350 – $97,47040
50Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$47,750
Bachelor's degree
$36,160 – $69,25030

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

#	Occupation	MedianFort Smith, AR-OK	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$165,060	$55,790 – $205,730	100
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,520	$121,760 – $165,370	160
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,270	$101,120 – $171,590	270
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$119,840	$103,490 – $165,750	70
5	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$114,140	$58,640 – $155,180	200
6	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$109,200	$57,960 – $166,940	40
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$104,110	$39,260 – $156,180	40
8	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,330	$64,380 – $155,990	110
9	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,140	$74,420 – $102,190	80
10	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,730	$75,800 – $129,460	160
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,740	$37,330 – $133,070	140
12	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,460	$71,880 – $130,290	150
13	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,920	$61,360 – $128,290	70
14	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$88,100	$46,140 – $157,730	170
15	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$87,640	$52,430 – $127,770	50
16	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,480	$57,440 – $98,300	150
17	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,300	$47,450 – $127,320	60
18	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$80,660	$65,970 – $99,780	40
19	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,890	$58,660 – $143,190	50
20	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,870	$58,540 – $98,500	2,180
21	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$78,950	$56,170 – $129,770	150
22	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,080	$60,680 – $79,070	100
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,990	$46,710 – $123,650	290
24	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,270	$47,470 – $108,280	50
25	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$73,620	$51,200 – $127,070	110
26	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,520	$33,610 – $94,730	60
27	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$66,270	$41,340 – $82,100	160
28	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$66,010	$44,140 – $119,140	140
29	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,410	$38,080 – $80,310	190
30	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,210	$37,500 – $79,550	140
31	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,170	$43,750 – $77,230	30
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$62,990	$44,920 – $108,330	520
33	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$62,770	$37,350 – $77,910	100
34	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,890	$40,390 – $102,400	170
35	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,100	$42,510 – $102,320	100
36	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,960	$47,690 – $81,220	810
37	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$59,820	$44,140 – $76,720	50
38	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,360	$47,350 – $76,560	80
39	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,110	$50,260 – $64,460	120
40	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,050	$49,230 – $77,380	180
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$58,970	$35,730 – $123,380	290
42	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$58,960	$48,700 – $75,090	530
43	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$58,710	$34,520 – $114,290	410
44	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$56,430	$46,550 – $67,320	60
45	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$55,880	$47,950 – $61,140	960
46	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$54,880	$34,450 – $97,510	50
47	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$54,220	$38,560 – $90,790	400
48	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$52,620	$46,990 – $81,430	840
49	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$52,060	$36,350 – $97,470	40
50	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$47,750	$36,160 – $69,250	30

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Fort Smith, AR-OK. 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.

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

High paying entry level jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK

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