Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Arkansas

Each occupation's median wage in Arkansas compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Arkansas pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$124,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,480 – $394,880+16.4%
2Computer Programmers$111,840
Bachelor's degree
$63,520 – $167,020+11.4%
3Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$64,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,800 – $87,560+11.0%
4Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,250
No formal educational credential
$33,280 – $49,760+9.8%
5Occupational Therapy Assistants$78,940
Associate's degree
$50,710 – $98,960+9.2%
6Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$50,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,170 – $104,530+7.3%
7Occupational Therapists$106,360
Master's degree
$65,160 – $144,250+6.0%
8Purchasing Managers$156,450
Bachelor's degree
$74,290 – $273,100+5.7%
9Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,220 – $48,320+5.6%
10Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,110 – $61,760+5.1%
11Dentists, General$178,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,010 – $223,010+4.7%
12Interior Designers$69,990
Bachelor's degree
$45,390 – $137,160+4.2%
13Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$50,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,150 – $50,050+3.7%
14Driver/Sales Workers$39,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,260 – $59,050+2.7%
15Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,590 – $64,920+1.6%
16Printing Press Operators$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,540 – $64,060+1.5%
17Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,110 – $58,940+1.0%
18Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,470 – $55,080+0.8%
19Dental Laboratory Technicians$49,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,410 – $66,470+0.7%
20Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$45,080
No formal educational credential
$37,270 – $49,960+0.6%
21Statisticians$105,720
Master's degree
$64,080 – $161,920+0.1%
22Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,470
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,2800.0%
23Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,180 – $69,250-0.8%
24Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$37,980
No formal educational credential
$33,470 – $44,540-0.8%
25Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,310
No formal educational credential
$32,750 – $38,190-1.2%
26Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,700
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-1.4%
27Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,800 – $56,860-1.6%
28Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$45,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,640 – $52,000-1.9%
29Buyers and Purchasing Agents$75,870
Bachelor's degree
$42,710 – $135,830-2.4%
30Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$34,970
No formal educational credential
$26,840 – $42,420-2.4%
31Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$34,750
No formal educational credential
$27,760 – $46,750-2.6%
32Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$58,590
Master's degree
$39,440 – $99,070-2.8%
33Sewing Machine Operators$35,630
No formal educational credential
$27,810 – $45,660-2.8%
34Logging Equipment Operators$48,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,990 – $65,000-2.9%
35Locomotive Engineers$78,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,050 – $78,930-3.0%
36Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,870 – $61,770-3.3%
37Pharmacists$136,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,560 – $164,940-3.4%
38First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$54,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,570 – $102,770-3.5%
39Physical Therapists$99,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,050 – $127,210-3.6%
40Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$45,970
Some college, no degree
$34,580 – $57,550-3.8%
41Industrial Engineers$98,410
Bachelor's degree
$71,880 – $137,520-3.9%
42Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,910 – $61,950-3.9%
43Postal Service Clerks$59,490
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-4.2%
44Food Processing Workers, All Other$37,840
No formal educational credential
$34,730 – $47,190-4.6%
45Logisticians$78,400
Bachelor's degree
$45,780 – $134,910-4.8%
46Nurse Practitioners$125,660
Master's degree
$99,420 – $205,810-5.0%
47Bus Drivers, School$45,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,080 – $63,300-5.1%
48Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$73,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,490 – $103,420-5.2%
49Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks$42,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,310 – $80,990-5.3%
50Physical Therapist Assistants$64,520
Associate's degree
$31,540 – $85,280-5.6%

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	vs. national
1	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$124,890	$51,480 – $394,880	+16.4%
2	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$111,840	$63,520 – $167,020	+11.4%
3	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,440	$41,800 – $87,560	+11.0%
4	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$45,250	$33,280 – $49,760	+9.8%
5	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,940	$50,710 – $98,960	+9.2%
6	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,070	$35,170 – $104,530	+7.3%
7	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$106,360	$65,160 – $144,250	+6.0%
8	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,450	$74,290 – $273,100	+5.7%
9	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,320	$38,220 – $48,320	+5.6%
10	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,150	$39,110 – $61,760	+5.1%
11	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$178,930	$99,010 – $223,010	+4.7%
12	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$69,990	$45,390 – $137,160	+4.2%
13	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,010	$47,150 – $50,050	+3.7%
14	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,820	$24,260 – $59,050	+2.7%
15	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,320	$38,590 – $64,920	+1.6%
16	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$28,540 – $64,060	+1.5%
17	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,790	$31,110 – $58,940	+1.0%
18	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,200	$32,470 – $55,080	+0.8%
19	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,960	$36,410 – $66,470	+0.7%
20	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$45,080	$37,270 – $49,960	+0.6%
21	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$105,720	$64,080 – $161,920	+0.1%
22	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,470	$45,530 – $75,280	0.0%
23	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,280	$35,180 – $69,250	-0.8%
24	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$37,980	$33,470 – $44,540	-0.8%
25	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$35,310	$32,750 – $38,190	-1.2%
26	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,700	$42,390 – $81,040	-1.4%
27	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,580	$32,800 – $56,860	-1.6%
28	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,490	$35,640 – $52,000	-1.9%
29	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$75,870	$42,710 – $135,830	-2.4%
30	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$34,970	$26,840 – $42,420	-2.4%
31	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$34,750	$27,760 – $46,750	-2.6%
32	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$58,590	$39,440 – $99,070	-2.8%
33	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,630	$27,810 – $45,660	-2.8%
34	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,280	$28,990 – $65,000	-2.9%
35	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,930	$65,050 – $78,930	-3.0%
36	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,630	$35,870 – $61,770	-3.3%
37	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$136,060	$105,560 – $164,940	-3.4%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,000	$33,570 – $102,770	-3.5%
39	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,010	$73,050 – $127,210	-3.6%
40	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$45,970	$34,580 – $57,550	-3.8%
41	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,410	$71,880 – $137,520	-3.9%
42	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,380	$34,910 – $61,950	-3.9%
43	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$42,600 – $75,030	-4.2%
44	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$37,840	$34,730 – $47,190	-4.6%
45	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,400	$45,780 – $134,910	-4.8%
46	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$125,660	$99,420 – $205,810	-5.0%
47	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,500	$24,080 – $63,300	-5.1%
48	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,920	$46,490 – $103,420	-5.2%
49	Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,040	$30,310 – $80,990	-5.3%
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,520	$31,540 – $85,280	-5.6%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Arkansas

More for Arkansas

Metro areas in Arkansas

By field in Arkansas

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state