Fort Smith Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Fort Smith, AR: $19.02/hr median hourly wage, $39,560 median annual salary, cost of living index 82, and $11.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Arkansas taxes.
Fort Smith Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Fort Smith, AR is $19.02/hr,and the median annual wage is $39,560. Entry-level pay estimates around $11.79/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $27.01/hr, and the local minimum wage is $11.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Smith, AR-OK metropolitan statistical area (95,560 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Fort Smith shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$39,560
$19.02/hr
Cost of Living
82
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$11.00
per hour
Unemployment
3.8%
rate
Fort Smith, AR Overview
Population
89,142
Median Salary
$39,560
Average Salary
$50,300
Avg Commute
19 min
Median Home Price
$140,000
Median Rent
$800/mo
Job Growth
+0.8%
Sales Tax
9.75%
Fort Smith is located in Arkansas with a population of 89,142. The median annual wage across all occupations is $39,560 ($19.02/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Fort Smith, AR-OK metro), which is $11,420 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 19 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.8%.
Fort Smith Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Fort Smith, AR built around the $39,560 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Smith, AR-OK metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $24,527 | $11.79/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $39,560 | $19.02/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $56,175 | $27.01/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $70,417 | $33.86/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Fort Smith Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Fort Smith, AR, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$32,607
$2,717.28/month · $1,254.13/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.6%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,254.13 take-home per paycheck after estimated Arkansas and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$39,560
Federal Tax
-$2,567
State Tax
-$1,359
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,026
Net Pay
$32,607
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,296.67 | $39,560.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$213.93 | -$2,567.20 |
| Arkansas State Tax (3.44% eff.) | -$113.26 | -$1,359.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$204.39 | -$2,452.72 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$47.80 | -$573.62 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $2,717.28 | $32,607.35 |
Salary Comparison: Fort Smith vs Other Cities
See how Fort Smith's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, AR | $39,560 | 82 | $48,244 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| El Paso, TX | $39,510 | 82 | $48,183 |
| Florence, AL | $39,740 | 83.5 | $47,593 |
| Valdosta, GA | $39,110 | 83.2 | $47,007 |
| Auburn, AL | $39,070 | 90 | $43,411 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Fort Smith
Fort Smith's cost of living index is 82 (national average = 100). Living in Fort Smith is 18% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$140,000
Median Monthly Rent
$800
Annual Rent Cost
$9,600
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $32,607 annual take-home pay in Fort Smith has the purchasing power of approximately $39,765 in an average-cost US area. Your $39,560 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Fort Smith
Fort Smith's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $39,560.
Salary Tips for Fort Smith Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Fort Smith has a cost of living 18% below the national average. A salary of $39,560 here has the purchasing power of about $48,244 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Fort Smith's top industries include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Logistics. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $39,560 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Arkansas
Hot Springs
Jacksonville
Jonesboro
Little Rock
North Little Rock
Paragould
Pine Bluff
Rogers
Russellville
Sherwood
Springdale
Texarkana
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Fort Smith salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Fort Smith, AR-OK metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Fort Smith indexed at 82.
- Median salary: $39,560 annual, $19.02 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Smith, AR-OK MSA (95,560 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $50,300 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Fort Smith was $44,800.
- Tax burden reflects Arkansas 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.9%) (no local income tax), sales tax (9.75%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Fort Smith: 3.8%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Manufacturing, Healthcare, Logistics, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Arkansas.
- Housing context: median home price $140,000, median rent $800/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Fort Smith, AR:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Fort Smith unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Fort Smith QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Arkansas, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Fort Smith's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Arkansas labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Fort Smith, AR?
The median hourly wage in Fort Smith, AR is $19.02 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $39,560. Entry-level workers are estimated around $11.79/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $27.01/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Fort Smith, AR?
The median salary in Fort Smith, AR is $39,560 per year, or $19.02 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area). The BLS mean salary is $50,300. This is $11,420 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Fort Smith, AR?
Fort Smith's cost of living index is 82 (national average = 100), meaning it is 18% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $140,000 and the median monthly rent is $800.
What are the best industries in Fort Smith?
The top industries in Fort Smith, AR include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Logistics. The city has a job growth rate of 0.8% and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $39,560.
How does Fort Smith's salary compare to other cities?
Fort Smith's median salary of $39,560 is 22.4% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 82), the real purchasing power is approximately $48,244.
What is the minimum wage in Fort Smith, AR?
The minimum wage in Fort Smith, AR is $11.00 per hour. This equals approximately $22,880 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $3.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.