High paying jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Fort Smith, AR-OK. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Physicians, All Other$258,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,330 – $398,040170
2Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$170,960
Bachelor's degree
$132,620 – $170,96040
3Dentists, General$165,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,790 – $205,730100
4Pharmacists$133,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,760 – $165,370160
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$131,100
Bachelor's degree
$99,320 – $199,930100
6Nurse Practitioners$129,270
Master's degree
$101,120 – $171,590270
7Purchasing Managers$125,330
Bachelor's degree
$78,050 – $200,58060
8Physician Assistants$119,840
Master's degree
$103,490 – $165,75070
9Computer and Information Systems Managers$114,760
Bachelor's degree
$75,500 – $181,210190
10Chief Executives$114,550
Bachelor's degree
$55,070 – $254,160210
11Computer Network Architects$114,270
Bachelor's degree
$81,890 – $165,27050
12Software Developers$114,140
Bachelor's degree
$58,640 – $155,180200
13Optometrists$109,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,960 – $166,94040
14Industrial Production Managers$106,520
Bachelor's degree
$75,040 – $179,140220
15Financial Managers$104,990
Bachelor's degree
$65,610 – $201,560460
16Veterinarians$104,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,260 – $156,18040
17Human Resources Managers$103,580
Bachelor's degree
$64,660 – $178,990100
18Facilities Managers$103,300
Bachelor's degree
$60,790 – $168,50060
19Civil Engineers$100,330
Bachelor's degree
$64,380 – $155,990110
20Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,140
Associate's degree
$74,420 – $102,19080
21Sales Managers$99,110
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $208,350230
22Physical Therapists$98,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,800 – $129,460160
23Managers, All Other$98,500
Bachelor's degree
$50,530 – $163,220360
24Occupational Therapists$97,740
Master's degree
$37,330 – $133,070140
25Industrial Engineers$97,460
Bachelor's degree
$71,880 – $130,290150
26Computer Occupations, All Other$96,920
Bachelor's degree
$61,360 – $128,29070
27Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$96,420
Master's degree
$80,460 – $110,180190
28Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$94,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,800 – $116,58070
29Marketing Managers$93,990
Bachelor's degree
$65,110 – $165,92090
30Medical and Health Services Managers$91,720
Bachelor's degree
$55,270 – $135,560370
31Information Security Analysts$91,020
Bachelor's degree
$54,440 – $129,95070
32Administrative Services Managers$90,640
Bachelor's degree
$46,830 – $146,29080
33Lawyers$88,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,140 – $157,730170
34Computer Programmers$87,640
Bachelor's degree
$52,430 – $127,77050
35Dental Hygienists$84,480
Associate's degree
$57,440 – $98,300150
36Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$83,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,930 – $100,83050
37Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$83,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,260 – $158,660130
38Construction Managers$82,940
Bachelor's degree
$57,960 – $114,940130
39Financial and Investment Analysts$82,300
Bachelor's degree
$47,450 – $127,32060
40Speech-Language Pathologists$81,300
Master's degree
$50,810 – $124,830150
41Occupational Therapy Assistants$80,660
Associate's degree
$65,970 – $99,78040
42Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$79,960
Bachelor's degree
$58,000 – $104,27040
43Engineers, All Other$79,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,660 – $143,19050
44Registered Nurses$79,870
Bachelor's degree
$58,540 – $98,5002,180
45Mechanical Engineers$78,950
Bachelor's degree
$56,170 – $129,770150
46Respiratory Therapists$78,080
Associate's degree
$60,680 – $79,070100
47Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$77,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,860 – $98,070100
48Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$77,300
Bachelor's degree
$41,060 – $172,040100
49Education Administrators, Postsecondary$75,180
Master's degree
$50,450 – $189,43070
50Project Management Specialists$74,990
Bachelor's degree
$46,710 – $123,650290

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	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$258,130	$59,330 – $398,040	170
2	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$170,960	$132,620 – $170,960	40
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$165,060	$55,790 – $205,730	100
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,520	$121,760 – $165,370	160
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,100	$99,320 – $199,930	100
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,270	$101,120 – $171,590	270
7	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,330	$78,050 – $200,580	60
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$119,840	$103,490 – $165,750	70
9	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,760	$75,500 – $181,210	190
10	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$114,550	$55,070 – $254,160	210
11	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$114,270	$81,890 – $165,270	50
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$114,140	$58,640 – $155,180	200
13	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$109,200	$57,960 – $166,940	40
14	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,520	$75,040 – $179,140	220
15	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,990	$65,610 – $201,560	460
16	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$104,110	$39,260 – $156,180	40
17	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,580	$64,660 – $178,990	100
18	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,300	$60,790 – $168,500	60
19	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,330	$64,380 – $155,990	110
20	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,140	$74,420 – $102,190	80
21	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$99,110	$49,990 – $208,350	230
22	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,730	$75,800 – $129,460	160
23	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$98,500	$50,530 – $163,220	360
24	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,740	$37,330 – $133,070	140
25	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,460	$71,880 – $130,290	150
26	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,920	$61,360 – $128,290	70
27	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$96,420	$80,460 – $110,180	190
28	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,800	$58,800 – $116,580	70
29	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$93,990	$65,110 – $165,920	90
30	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$91,720	$55,270 – $135,560	370
31	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,020	$54,440 – $129,950	70
32	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$90,640	$46,830 – $146,290	80
33	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$88,100	$46,140 – $157,730	170
34	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$87,640	$52,430 – $127,770	50
35	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,480	$57,440 – $98,300	150
36	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,960	$35,930 – $100,830	50
37	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,370	$46,260 – $158,660	130
38	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$82,940	$57,960 – $114,940	130
39	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,300	$47,450 – $127,320	60
40	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$81,300	$50,810 – $124,830	150
41	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$80,660	$65,970 – $99,780	40
42	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$79,960	$58,000 – $104,270	40
43	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,890	$58,660 – $143,190	50
44	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,870	$58,540 – $98,500	2,180
45	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$78,950	$56,170 – $129,770	150
46	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,080	$60,680 – $79,070	100
47	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,760	$51,860 – $98,070	100
48	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$77,300	$41,060 – $172,040	100
49	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$75,180	$50,450 – $189,430	70
50	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,990	$46,710 – $123,650	290

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 jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK

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