Nursing Assistants Salary in Arkansas
In Arkansas, nursing assistants earn a median $34,430 a year, well below the national median of $42,260 (−19%); the state ranks 48th of 51 states by median. That is 21% less than the median across all occupations in Arkansas ($43,630). Among neighbouring states, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma pay more (up to $37,990 in Tennessee) and Mississippi and Louisiana pay less (down to $30,510 in Louisiana). Arkansas employs 17,260 nursing assistants, 13.2 per 1,000 jobs, the 31st largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.42 means the occupation is more concentrated in Arkansas than nationally.
Arkansas vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $13.87 | $14.52 | $16.55 | $17.34 | $18.76 | $16.33 | 17,260 | 13.24 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $28,840 | $30,200 | $34,430 | $36,070 | $39,020 | $33,970 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 48th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 31st of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.42
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.24
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Arkansas's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Arkansas
7 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Arkansas publish a row for nursing assistants, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $18.27 | $38,010 | $31,660 | $44,540 | 4,930 | 8.05 | 0.86 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $17.22 | $35,820 | $30,210 | $41,180 | 2,320 | 8.44 | 0.91 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $17.00 | $35,370 | $29,460 | $44,480 | 5,250 | 14.66 | 1.57 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $16.93 | $35,210 | $29,510 | $39,020 | 1,050 | 17.39 | 1.87 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $15.81 | $32,880 | $24,620 | $40,970 | 820 | 14.33 | 1.54 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $15.39 | $32,020 | $25,040 | $36,960 | 1,580 | 16.52 | 1.77 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $14.39 | $29,940 | $29,550 | $37,800 | 810 | 21.00 | 2.25 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $15.57 | $32,390 | $28,550 | $36,480 | 1,200 | 14.04 | 1.51 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $15.53 | $32,310 | $28,300 | $36,500 | 1,800 | 15.37 | 1.65 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $14.79 | $30,760 | $28,450 | $36,360 | 1,080 | 15.85 | 1.70 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $14.79 | $30,760 | $26,620 | $36,230 | 1,980 | 16.59 | 1.78 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Nursing Assistants (every state ranked) and the Arkansas wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Arkansas estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.