How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Fort Smith, AR in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs 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 Surgical Tech in Fort Smith, Arkansas earns $29.76 per hour, or $61,890 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,158 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,390, and the top 10% of earners make over $102,400.
That pay is 8% above the Arkansas figure of $57,400 and 4% below the national figure of $64,650. Fort Smith ranks 1st of 4 metro areas in Arkansas for Surgical Tech pay. About 170 Surgical Techs work in the Fort Smith area.
Surgical Tech pay in Fort Smith at a glance
- Typical pay is $29.76 an hour, or $61,890 a year.
- That is 8% above the Arkansas figure, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,390; the top 10% make over $102,400.
- Typical pay rose +71% from 2015 to 2025, against +48% for Arkansas as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Fort Smith?
Pay in Fort Smith runs from entry-level positions at around $19.42 an hour to more than $49.23 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arkansas and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Fort Smith
| Career stage | Fort Smith | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $40,390$19.42 an hour | $38,750$18.63 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $53,640$25.79 an hour | $47,520$22.84 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $61,890$29.76 an hour | $57,400$27.60 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $70,910$34.09 an hour | $63,400$30.48 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $102,400$49.23 an hour | $75,460$36.28 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Fort Smith area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Fort Smith
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Fort Smith area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Fort Smith was $36,160 a year. By 2025 it had reached $61,890, a change of +71%, compared with +48% for Arkansas over the same years.
How Fort Smith compares with other Arkansas cities
Fort Smith pays Surgical Techs the most of any metro area in Arkansas. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jonesboro at $49,590.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Fort Smith | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Smith | $61,890 | $29.76 | this city | 170 |
| 2 | Fayetteville metro incl. Springdale · Rogers | $61,080 | $29.36 | -1% | 290 |
| 3 | Conway metro incl. Little Rock · North Little Rock | $60,910 | $29.28 | -2% | 640 |
| 4 | Jonesboro | $49,590 | $23.84 | -20% | 140 |
Every metro area in Arkansas with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arkansas typical pay $57,400
Is Fort Smith a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Tech pay in Fort Smith sits close to the national figure: $61,890 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Fort Smith area, about 1.8 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. That makes the local economy more reliant on Surgical Techs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Tech make in Fort Smith, AR?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Fort Smith earns $61,890 a year, or $29.76 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $40,390 and the top 10% earn over $102,400.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Fort Smith?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Fort Smith is $29.76. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.42, and the top 10% earn over $49.23 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Fort Smith?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Fort Smith typically offer around $19.42 an hour, or $40,390 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Fort Smith higher than in the rest of Arkansas?
- Fort Smith pay is 8% above the Arkansas figure of $57,400 a year, ranking 1st of 4 metro areas in the state.