Elementary School Teacher Salary in Little Rock, AR — 2026
Elementary School Teacher salary data for Little Rock, AR — adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Elementary School Teacher salary in Little Rock, AR is $58,580 per year ($4,882/month, $28.16/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan area, which covers Little Rock. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 88) would have estimated $56,294; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2021), Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Elementary School Teacher Take-Home Pay in Little Rock
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $58,580 |
| Federal Tax | -$4,850 |
| State Tax (3.6% eff.) | -$2,101 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$4,481 |
| Annual Take-Home | $47,148 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $3,929 |
Living Cost Comparison
Elementary School Teacher Requirements
Key Skills
Little Rock Job Market Overview
Little Rock, Arkansas has a population of 202,591 and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. The top industries are Government, Healthcare, Finance. The local job growth rate is 1.2%, and the average commute time is 22minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Salary Percentile Breakdown — Elementary School Teacher in Little Rock
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Elementary School Teacher in Little Rock, AR, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $38,200 | $18/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $48,390 | $23/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $58,580 | $28/hr | Mid-career, 2-5 years |
| 75th | $76,400 | $37/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $99,300 | $48/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Little Rock's Government sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 15.0% salary growth for Elementary School Teachers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Little Rock estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Elementary School Teacher can expect a 12.2% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 6 years in Little Rock. Negotiation, certifications (industry-specific credentials), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Little Rock vs National Average
The national median Elementary School Teacher salary is $63,970 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education). In the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro, the BLS median of $58,580 is 8.4% below the national figure. Little Rock's cost of living index is 88 (lower than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Elementary School Teachers, this means: rent typically consumes 24.2% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Little Rock costs about 3.9× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Little Rock.
Industry Context: Government in Little Rock
Little Rock's economy is anchored by Government, Healthcare, Finance, with 202,591 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.2% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Elementary School Teachers can differ by sector, so compare Government employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.2%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 5.0% growth outlook for Elementary School Teacher roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Elementary School Teacher salaries in Little Rock, AR:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2021) in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Little Rock-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($56,294 modeled) using the Little Rock index of 88 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), AR 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 3.9%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine — occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) — regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Little Rock QuickFacts — population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary — 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — official local unemployment rates to verify the Little Rock figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Elementary School Teacher salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Government vs others in Little Rock), specific skill set (Communication, Problem solving, Teamwork), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Elementary School Teacher salary in Little Rock, AR?
How much does a Elementary School Teacher take home in Little Rock after taxes?
Is Little Rock a good city for Elementary School Teachers?
What skills are needed for a Elementary School Teacher in Little Rock?
How does Elementary School Teacher salary in Little Rock compare to the national average?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Elementary School Teacher salary in Little Rock, AR?
The median Elementary School Teacher salary in Little Rock, AR is $58,580 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2021) in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $38,200 and the senior estimate of $76,400 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Elementary School Teacher take home in Little Rock after taxes?
A Elementary School Teacher earning the median salary of $58,580 in Little Rock, AR takes home approximately $47,148 per year ($3,929/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 19.5%.
Is Little Rock a good city for Elementary School Teachers?
Little Rock, AR has a cost of living index of 88 (below national average). Elementary School Teachers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.2% and top industries include Government, Healthcare, Finance.
What skills are needed for a Elementary School Teacher in Little Rock?
Key skills for Elementary School Teachers include Communication, Problem solving, Teamwork. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's degree.
How does Elementary School Teacher salary in Little Rock compare to the national average?
The national median for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education is $63,970 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro, the BLS median is $58,580, which is 8.4% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 88) would have estimated $56,294.