Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Arkansas | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $47,670 | $79,739 | -40% |
| Median hourly wage | $22.92 | $38.34 | -40% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $54,856.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Police Officer in Arkansas is $47,670, or about $22.92 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Police Officers is $79,739. Arkansas is -40% below the national median.
Entry-level police officers in Arkansas typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 5,710 police officer jobs on record and a median salary of $47,670, Arkansas offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, police officers rank 352 of the 673 occupations reported in Arkansas — higher than 48% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Fish and Game Wardens at $72,200, First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other at $66,010, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $62,290 — 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, police officers rank 352 of the 673 occupations reported in Arkansas — higher than 48% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Arkansas | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and Game Wardens | $72,200 | $80 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | $66,010 | $300 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $62,290 | $2,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $61,890 | $920 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $61,110 | $190 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $57,990 | $40 |
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.