How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Fort Smith, AR in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician 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 Physician Assistant in Fort Smith, Arkansas earns $57.61 per hour, or $119,840 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,987 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $103,490, and the top 10% of earners make over $165,750.
That pay is 1% above the Arkansas figure of $118,430 and 12% below the national figure of $135,880. Fort Smith ranks 3rd of 5 metro areas in Arkansas for Physician Assistant pay. About 70 Physician Assistants work in the Fort Smith area.
Physician Assistant pay in Fort Smith at a glance
- Typical pay is $57.61 an hour, or $119,840 a year.
- That is 1% above the Arkansas figure, ranking 3rd of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $103,490; the top 10% make over $165,750.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Fort Smith?
Pay in Fort Smith runs from entry-level positions at around $49.76 an hour to more than $79.69 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arkansas and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Fort Smith
| Career stage | Fort Smith | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $103,490$49.76 an hour | $88,160$42.39 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $113,380$54.51 an hour | $103,810$49.91 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $119,840$57.61 an hour | $118,430$56.94 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $152,210$73.18 an hour | $133,270$64.07 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $165,750$79.69 an hour | $159,080$76.48 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Fort Smith area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Fort Smith
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants in the Fort Smith area · BLS OES May estimates, 2020 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2020, typical Physician Assistant pay in Fort Smith was $103,180 a year. By 2025 it had reached $119,840, compared with +60% for Arkansas over the same years.
How Fort Smith compares with other Arkansas cities
Fayetteville pays Physician Assistants the most in Arkansas at $130,810 a year, $10,970 more than Fort Smith. The lowest-paying area in the state is Conway at $109,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Fort Smith | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville metro incl. Springdale · Rogers | $130,810 | $62.89 | +9% | 180 |
| 2 | Hot Springs | $122,720 | $59.00 | +2% | 30 |
| 3 | Fort Smith | $119,840 | $57.61 | this city | 70 |
| 4 | Jonesboro | $117,660 | $56.57 | -2% | 30 |
| 5 | Little Rock metro incl. North Little Rock · Conway | $109,110 | $52.46 | -9% | 340 |
Every metro area in Arkansas with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arkansas typical pay $118,430
Is Fort Smith a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistants in Fort Smith earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $119,840 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Fort Smith area, about 0.7 are Physician Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.1. That makes Physician Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physician Assistant make in Fort Smith, AR?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Fort Smith earns $119,840 a year, or $57.61 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $103,490 and the top 10% earn over $165,750.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Fort Smith?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Fort Smith is $57.61. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $49.76, and the top 10% earn over $79.69 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Fort Smith?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Fort Smith typically offer around $49.76 an hour, or $103,490 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Fort Smith higher than in the rest of Arkansas?
- Fort Smith pay is 1% above the Arkansas figure of $118,430 a year, ranking 3rd of 5 metro areas in the state. Fayetteville pays the most in Arkansas at $130,810.