How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Arkansas in 2026?

A typical Dental Assistant in Arkansas earns about $20.59 per hour ($42,830 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down across regular schedules, this annual rate translates to a monthly pay of $3,569 and a weekly pay of $824, as calculated from the annual figure. Most clinics schedule full-time staff across thirty-five to forty hours each week.

Statewide wages sit 11% below the national typical figure of $48,070 per year ($23.11 hourly). That differential places Arkansas at 46th among all fifty states for this occupation. Approximately 2,950 dental assistants work across the state, providing chairside patient care in private practices, community clinics, and specialty dental offices.

Entry-level positions in Arkansas typically offer around $16.85 per hour, which works out to an annual wage of $35,060. New graduates and those beginning their clinical careers usually start near this rate as they learn office routines. Pay moves toward the statewide typical figure within a few years of consistent practice and skill development.

Experienced dental assistants often earn upwards of $22.47 hourly, while the top 10% of earners make over $23.24 per hour ($48,330 annually). This establishes an entry-to-top spread of $13,270 across the state. Differences in practice setting, advanced certifications, clinical tenure, and local office location tend to separate these earning tiers.

Back in 2015, the typical wage for a Dental Assistant in Arkansas was $32,720 annually. By 2025, that figure climbed to $42,830, reflecting a dollar gain of $10,110 over the decade. This change represents an overall pay rise of 31% across the ten-year tracking period.

By comparison, the national typical wage for dental assistants rose 34% over the same ten-year window. For someone starting a career in Arkansas today, historical numbers show that compensation has steadily moved up over time. Past wage growth documents how baseline pay evolved, though it provides no guarantees for future compensation gains.

Where pay runs highest inside the state, Fayetteville leads with a typical annual compensation of $47,050 ($22.62 per hour). That figure sits 10% above the overall statewide median rate. Neighboring communities in the northwest corner, including Springdale and Rogers, share this same metropolitan wage baseline for local dental workers.

At the lower end of the spectrum, Jonesboro records typical annual compensation of $36,720 ($17.65 hourly), creating a city spread of $10,330 across Arkansas metropolitan regions. Conway and the greater Little Rock area support the largest Dental Assistant workforce with 920 jobs. City figures cover each city's full metro area, where lower pay usually tracks lower local living costs.

Dental assistant compensation in neighboring states generally exceeds Arkansas levels, led by Tennessee at $46,720, Missouri at $45,970, Oklahoma at $45,740, Texas at $45,430, and Louisiana at $44,090. Only Mississippi posts lower typical earnings at $39,160 annually. Dental workers considering employment in bordering communities should note that professional credentials and licensure in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a nearby one.

Arkansas dental assistants currently earn a typical annual wage of $42,830, reflecting a ten-year climb of 31% from 2015 baseline levels. Professionals planning a career path in the state can consult the state licensing registry to review required credentials and explore local city pages to compare specific metropolitan wage differences.