Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Arkansas | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $34,430 | $41,878 | -18% |
| Median hourly wage | $16.55 | $20.13 | -18% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $39,620.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Nursing Assistant in Arkansas is $34,430, or about $16.55 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Nursing Assistants is $41,878. Arkansas is -18% below the national median.
Entry-level nursing assistants in Arkansas typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 17,260 nursing assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $34,430, Arkansas offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, nursing assistants rank 593 of the 673 occupations reported in Arkansas — higher than 12% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $78,940, Physical Therapist Assistants at $64,520, Dental Assistants at $42,830 — all figures are median annual wages for Arkansas.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Arkansas levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 87.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, nursing assistants rank 593 of the 673 occupations reported in Arkansas — higher than 12% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Arkansas | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $78,940 | $730 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $64,520 | $1,620 |
| Dental Assistants | $42,830 | $2,950 |
| Massage Therapists | $39,990 | $430 |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | $38,100 | $320 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $38,040 | $790 |
Arkansas levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 87.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 673 occupations in Arkansas.