Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
63 Highest Paying Jobs in Little Rock, AR (2026)
The highest-paying job in Little Rock, AR, Arkansas is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $205,910 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data. Across all 63 tracked occupations the average median is $86,488, with 21 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. Little Rock, AR has a cost-of-living index of 88.2 (national average = 100), so a $86,488 nominal salary equals $98,059 in average-cost-metro buying power.
The 63 occupations below are ranked by median wage in Little Rock, AR, AR, from BLS OEWS data. Little Rock, AR's cost-of-living index runs 88.2 (national baseline = 100), which shapes the headline-wage interpretation. Top-paying occupations in any U.S. metro typically cluster around physicians, dentists, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals. The specific top of the list varies with local industry concentration: tech-heavy metros boost software-engineering ranks, finance-heavy metros boost banking ranks.
Each role on the ranking links to the per-role-and-city page with full percentile distribution (p10 to p90), employment count, and cost-adjusted wage. For workers comparing offers within Little Rock, AR, the percentile data is the most decision-relevant.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Little Rock, AR
Ranked by median (50th percentile) salary. The COL-Adjusted column rebases each nominal salary to Little Rock, AR's cost-of-living index of 88.2 so you can compare buying power against an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $205,910 · 10th–90th $124,010–$390,000 · 0 jobs in metro
Family Medicine Physicians in Little Rock, AR earn $205,910 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $390,000. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $233,458 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $172,250 · 10th–90th $100,460–$280,340 · 240 jobs in metro
Dentists in Little Rock, AR earn $172,250 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $280,340. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $195,295 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $136,700 · 10th–90th $94,120–$166,570 · 1,020 jobs in metro
Pharmacists in Little Rock, AR earn $136,700 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $166,570. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $154,989 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $129,700 · 10th–90th $79,860–$218,510 · 1,290 jobs in metro
Computer and Information Systems Managers in Little Rock, AR earn $129,700 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $218,510. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $147,052 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $126,680 · 10th–90th $100,540–$215,290 · 1,360 jobs in metro
Nurse Practitioners in Little Rock, AR earn $126,680 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $215,290. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $143,628 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $124,820 · 10th–90th $81,990–$166,410 · 330 jobs in metro
Computer Network Architects in Little Rock, AR earn $124,820 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $166,410. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $141,519 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $119,360 · 10th–90th $64,300–$224,620 · 2,320 jobs in metro
Financial Managers in Little Rock, AR earn $119,360 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $224,620. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $135,329 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $114,360 · 10th–90th $68,770–$173,910 · 70 jobs in metro
Optometrists in Little Rock, AR earn $114,360 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $173,910. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $129,660 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $109,110 · 10th–90th $49,970–$145,970 · 340 jobs in metro
Physician Assistants in Little Rock, AR earn $109,110 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $145,970. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $123,707 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $108,700 · 10th–90th $76,150–$141,390 · 370 jobs in metro
Electrical Engineers in Little Rock, AR earn $108,700 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $141,390. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $123,243 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Full Ranking (63 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median | 10th–90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $205,910 | $124,010–$390,000 | $233,458 | 0 |
| 2 | Dentist | Healthcare | $172,250 | $100,460–$280,340 | $195,295 | 240 |
| 3 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $136,700 | $94,120–$166,570 | $154,989 | 1,020 |
| 4 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $129,700 | $79,860–$218,510 | $147,052 | 1,290 |
| 5 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $126,680 | $100,540–$215,290 | $143,628 | 1,360 |
| 6 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $124,820 | $81,990–$166,410 | $141,519 | 330 |
| 7 | Financial Manager | Finance | $119,360 | $64,300–$224,620 | $135,329 | 2,320 |
| 8 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $114,360 | $68,770–$173,910 | $129,660 | 70 |
| 9 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $109,110 | $49,970–$145,970 | $123,707 | 340 |
| 10 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $108,700 | $76,150–$141,390 | $123,243 | 370 |
| 11 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $107,330 | $38,000–$148,520 | $121,689 | 120 |
| 12 | Marketing Manager | Management | $105,050 | $67,340–$211,870 | $119,104 | 440 |
| 13 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $104,680 | $65,160–$137,620 | $118,685 | 760 |
| 14 | Software Developer | Technology | $104,070 | $61,990–$154,030 | $117,993 | 1,590 |
| 15 | Data Scientist | Technology | $103,510 | $67,490–$129,400 | $117,358 | 130 |
| 16 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $103,060 | $61,170–$188,180 | $116,848 | 400 |
| 17 | Sales Manager | Management | $102,300 | $50,180–$216,940 | $115,986 | 1,060 |
| 18 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $101,590 | $70,480–$142,800 | $115,181 | 360 |
| 19 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $101,280 | $62,910–$163,340 | $114,830 | 2,630 |
| 20 | Statistician | Technology | $100,620 | $72,500–$161,810 | $114,082 | 110 |
| 21 | Computer Programmer | Technology | $100,070 | $62,820–$134,750 | $113,458 | 350 |
| 22 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $99,940 | $73,640–$126,480 | $113,311 | 1,040 |
| 23 | Audiologist | Healthcare | $98,120 | $81,950–$134,040 | $111,247 | 40 |
| 24 | Lawyer | Legal | $97,870 | $47,280–$184,150 | $110,964 | 1,670 |
| 25 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $94,370 | $37,690–$213,030 | $106,995 | 540 |
| 26 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $94,070 | $59,410–$134,410 | $106,655 | 460 |
| 27 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $93,800 | $58,620–$135,030 | $106,349 | 330 |
| 28 | Database Architect | Technology | $89,990 | $63,330–$130,840 | $102,029 | 210 |
| 29 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $89,160 | $83,200–$96,230 | $101,088 | 490 |
| 30 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $88,610 | $47,720–$132,620 | $100,465 | 450 |
| 31 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $86,380 | $62,880–$134,060 | $97,937 | 810 |
| 32 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $83,530 | $43,750–$148,210 | $94,705 | 200 |
| 33 | Network Architect | Technology | $83,090 | $58,270–$132,730 | $94,206 | 530 |
| 34 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $83,030 | $57,550–$138,030 | $94,138 | 580 |
| 35 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $81,320 | $49,070–$130,690 | $92,200 | 410 |
| 36 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $81,070 | $60,270–$114,190 | $91,916 | 11,550 |
| 37 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $78,560 | $29,750–$112,920 | $89,070 | 1,490 |
| 38 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $76,080 | $36,910–$174,530 | $86,259 | 9,330 |
| 39 | Management Analyst | Management | $75,750 | $46,810–$121,030 | $85,884 | 1,820 |
| 40 | Architect | Engineering | $75,600 | $58,930–$107,420 | $85,714 | 230 |
| 41 | Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $74,870 | $35,500–$159,700 | $84,887 | 80 |
| 42 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $72,400 | $50,410–$108,560 | $82,086 | 280 |
| 43 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $71,000 | $64,090–$310,750 | $80,499 | 30 |
| 44 | Accountant | Finance | $65,810 | $46,460–$112,870 | $74,615 | 2,620 |
| 45 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $62,790 | $34,170–$127,430 | $71,190 | 1,400 |
| 46 | Loan Officer | Finance | $62,720 | $37,190–$130,300 | $71,111 | 660 |
| 47 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $61,710 | $40,660–$102,540 | $69,966 | 330 |
| 48 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $61,510 | $43,680–$107,980 | $69,739 | 560 |
| 49 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $60,480 | $49,100–$76,740 | $68,571 | 2,920 |
| 50 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $60,160 | $48,520–$98,250 | $68,209 | 100 |
| 51 | Web Designer | Technology | $60,010 | $41,850–$162,780 | $68,039 | 120 |
| 52 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $58,580 | $49,380–$72,210 | $66,417 | 3,210 |
| 53 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $57,590 | $53,350–$124,180 | $65,295 | 330 |
| 54 | Web Developer | Technology | $54,990 | $42,230–$144,350 | $62,347 | 90 |
| 55 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $52,120 | $37,250–$80,310 | $59,093 | 1,110 |
| 56 | Plumber | Trades | $49,190 | $35,100–$68,540 | $55,771 | 890 |
| 57 | Electrician | Trades | $48,200 | $34,740–$70,720 | $54,649 | 1,870 |
| 58 | Carpenter | Trades | $48,050 | $37,040–$63,030 | $54,478 | 1,080 |
| 59 | Paralegal | Legal | $47,690 | $37,740–$81,330 | $54,070 | 680 |
| 60 | Welder | Trades | $47,440 | $38,340–$60,250 | $53,787 | 1,190 |
| 61 | Writer/Author | Creative | $47,210 | $29,180–$79,750 | $53,526 | 100 |
| 62 | Graphic Designer | Creative | $46,620 | $34,790–$72,990 | $52,857 | 370 |
| 63 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $46,130 | $30,770–$78,280 | $52,302 | 2,160 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in Little Rock, AR
Little Rock, AR's pay distribution reflects its mix of regional employers and industries, plus the local cost of living that affects nominal salary levels in the BLS data.
An average median salary in the $75K–$90K band places this metro above the U.S. average. The premium is concentrated in professional and management occupations rather than spread evenly across all roles.
Little Rock, AR's cost-of-living index of 88.2 runs 12% below the U.S. national average. Lower nominal pay here often translates to comparable or better purchasing power than higher headline numbers in coastal hubs — see the COL-Adjusted column for the apples-to-apples figure.
How to Use This Ranking
For salary negotiation, the median is a starting anchor — not the ceiling. A Family Medicine Physician with five-plus years of experience in Little Rock, AR should be benchmarking against the 75th percentile ($297,955) or 90th percentile ($390,000), not the $205,910 median. Use the salary percentile calculator to place any specific salary into the BLS distribution for any role-and-city pair.
For cross-city comparisons, ignore the nominal Median column and look at COL-Adjusted. A $206K Family Medicine Physician salary in Little Rock, AR (COL 88.2) translates to $233K of buying power in an average-cost metro — that is the apples-to-apples figure when weighing a relocation. Read the methodology behind these adjustments in our methodology page.
For job hunting, focus on the top-10 ranking above and on the role-by-role detail pages — each links through to a Family Medicine Physician in Little Rock, AR page with full percentile breakdowns, year-over-year change, and prevailing-wage references for H-1B / PERM applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in Little Rock, AR is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $205,910 and a 90th-percentile reading of $390,000. The role employs roughly 0 workers in this metro according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 OEWS data.
21 of the 63 BLS-tracked occupations in Little Rock, AR have a median salary of $100,000 or higher. That is well above what most U.S. metros offer. See the full list ranked by median salary above.
Across 63 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in Little Rock, AR is $86,488. The cost-of-living index is 88.2, so adjusted to a national-average baseline, the average is $98,059 in equivalent purchasing power.
Little Rock, AR has a cost-of-living index of 88.2, below the national average. Nominal pay translates better than face value, making it a strong choice for many careers — particularly the Family Medicine Physician, Dentist, Pharmacist occupations at the top of the ranking.
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers across all industries. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile wages by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The same data is used by the Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Related Pages
Rankings based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 reference period. COL adjustments use a composite cost-of-living index calibrated to U.S. average = 100.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.