How Much Does an RN Make in Fort Smith, AR in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs 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 RN in Fort Smith, Arkansas earns $38.40 per hour, or $79,870 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,656 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $58,540, and the top 10% of earners make over $98,500.
That pay is 1% above the Arkansas figure of $78,940 and 18% below the national figure of $97,550. Fort Smith ranks 2nd of 5 metro areas in Arkansas for RN pay. About 2,180 RNs work in the Fort Smith area.
RN pay in Fort Smith at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.40 an hour, or $79,870 a year.
- That is 1% above the Arkansas figure, ranking 2nd of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $58,540; the top 10% make over $98,500.
- Typical pay rose +53% from 2015 to 2025, against +42% for Arkansas as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Fort Smith?
Pay in Fort Smith runs from entry-level positions at around $28.15 an hour to more than $47.36 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arkansas and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Fort Smith
| Career stage | Fort Smith | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $58,540$28.15 an hour | $60,780$29.22 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $68,140$32.76 an hour | $66,640$32.04 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $79,870$38.40 an hour | $78,940$37.95 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $82,930$39.87 an hour | $90,280$43.40 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $98,500$47.36 an hour | $103,660$49.84 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Fort Smith area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Fort Smith
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Fort Smith area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Fort Smith was $52,140 a year. By 2025 it had reached $79,870, a change of +53%, compared with +42% for Arkansas over the same years.
How Fort Smith compares with other Arkansas cities
Conway pays RNs the most in Arkansas at $81,070 a year, $1,200 more than Fort Smith. The lowest-paying area in the state is Springdale at $77,910.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Fort Smith | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conway metro incl. North Little Rock · Little Rock | $81,070 | $38.98 | +2% | 11,550 |
| 2 | Fort Smith | $79,870 | $38.40 | this city | 2,180 |
| 3 | Jonesboro | $78,940 | $37.95 | -1% | 1,990 |
| 4 | Hot Springs | $78,590 | $37.79 | -2% | 1,160 |
| 5 | Fayetteville metro incl. Rogers · Springdale | $77,910 | $37.46 | -2% | 4,870 |
Every metro area in Arkansas with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arkansas typical pay $78,940
Is Fort Smith a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Fort Smith earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $79,870 a year, 18% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Fort Smith area, about 23 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Fort Smith, AR?
- A typical RN in Fort Smith earns $79,870 a year, or $38.40 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $58,540 and the top 10% earn over $98,500.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Fort Smith?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Fort Smith is $38.40. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $28.15, and the top 10% earn over $47.36 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Fort Smith?
- Entry-level RN positions in Fort Smith typically offer around $28.15 an hour, or $58,540 a year.
- Is RN pay in Fort Smith higher than in the rest of Arkansas?
- Fort Smith pay is 1% above the Arkansas figure of $78,940 a year, ranking 2nd of 5 metro areas in the state. Conway pays the most in Arkansas at $81,070.