How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Fort Smith, AR in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Fort Smith, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Arkansas.
BLS OES May 2025 · Fort Smith metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Fort Smith, Arkansas earns $17.87 per hour, or $37,160 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,097 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,420, and the top 10% of earners make over $45,840.
That pay is 13% below the Arkansas figure of $42,830 and 23% below the national figure of $48,070. Fort Smith ranks 4th of 5 metro areas in Arkansas for Dental Assistant pay. About 220 Dental Assistants work in the Fort Smith area.
Dental Assistant pay in Fort Smith at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.87 an hour, or $37,160 a year.
- That is 13% below the Arkansas figure, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,420; the top 10% make over $45,840.
- Typical pay rose +15% from 2015 to 2025, against +31% for Arkansas as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Fort Smith?
Pay in Fort Smith runs from entry-level positions at around $15.10 an hour to more than $22.04 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arkansas and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Fort Smith
| Career stage | Fort Smith | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $31,420$15.10 an hour | $35,060$16.85 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $35,680$17.15 an hour | $36,790$17.69 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $37,160$17.87 an hour | $42,830$20.59 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $45,000$21.64 an hour | $46,730$22.47 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $45,840$22.04 an hour | $48,330$23.24 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Fort Smith area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Fort Smith
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Fort Smith area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Fort Smith was $32,220 a year. By 2025 it had reached $37,160, a change of +15%, compared with +31% for Arkansas over the same years.
How Fort Smith compares with other Arkansas cities
Fayetteville pays Dental Assistants the most in Arkansas at $47,050 a year, $9,890 more than Fort Smith. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jonesboro at $36,720.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Fort Smith | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville metro incl. Springdale · Rogers | $47,050 | $22.62 | +27% | 680 |
| 2 | Conway metro incl. Little Rock · North Little Rock | $45,140 | $21.70 | +21% | 920 |
| 3 | Hot Springs | $37,440 | $18.00 | +1% | 100 |
| 4 | Fort Smith | $37,160 | $17.87 | this city | 220 |
| 5 | Jonesboro | $36,720 | $17.65 | -1% | 170 |
Every metro area in Arkansas with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arkansas typical pay $42,830
Is Fort Smith a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants in Fort Smith earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $37,160 a year, 23% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Fort Smith area, about 2.3 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.6. Dental Assistant jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Fort Smith, AR?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Fort Smith earns $37,160 a year, or $17.87 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $31,420 and the top 10% earn over $45,840.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Fort Smith?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Fort Smith is $17.87. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.10, and the top 10% earn over $22.04 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Fort Smith?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Fort Smith typically offer around $15.10 an hour, or $31,420 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Fort Smith higher than in the rest of Arkansas?
- Fort Smith pay is 13% below the Arkansas figure of $42,830 a year, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state. Fayetteville pays the most in Arkansas at $47,050.