Education Administrators, Postsecondary Salary
In Fort Smith, AR-OK, education administrators, postsecondaries earn $75,180 at the median, or about $36.14 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $189K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $87,531 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $937/month, or 19% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $75K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About education administrators, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Fort Smith
Pay for education administrators, postsecondary in Fort Smith runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $937/month, 19.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Fort Smith can be a reasonable trade-off for education administrators, postsecondarys who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for education administrators, postsecondaries in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $78K | $88K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $82K | $90K |
| Jonesboro | $103K | $120K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $103K | $100K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level education administrators, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $189K or more, a $139K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $140K | +34% | 7,280 |
| New Jersey | $132K | +26% | 4,100 |
| Massachusetts | $129K | +23% | 9,120 |
| Delaware | $129K | +23% | 360 |
| Wyoming | $128K | +22% | 120 |
| Washington | $128K | +22% | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $126K | +21% | 240 |
| California | $125K | +20% | 14,870 |
| Wisconsin | $125K | +19% | 1,190 |
| Connecticut | $123K | +18% | 2,100 |
| Virginia | $121K | +16% | N/A |
| Oregon | $120K | +15% | 2,790 |
| Maryland | $119K | +13% | N/A |
| Colorado | $118K | +13% | 1,770 |
| Kentucky | $114K | +9% | 890 |
| Georgia | $110K | +5% | 2,890 |
| Kansas | $110K | +5% | 1,760 |
| New Mexico | $109K | +5% | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $109K | +4% | 5,110 |
| District of Columbia | $107K | +3% | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $107K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Oklahoma | $106K | +1% | 1,700 |
| Minnesota | $105K | +0% | 2,110 |
| Missouri | $105K | -0% | 2,830 |
| Vermont | $104K | -0% | 550 |
| Texas | $104K | -0% | 16,660 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | -0% | 920 |
| Pennsylvania | $104K | -1% | 8,000 |
| Arizona | $103K | -1% | 5,140 |
| Alaska | $103K | -1% | 80 |
| Montana | $103K | -2% | 300 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -3% | 600 |
| Idaho | $101K | -3% | 870 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -3% | 7,390 |
| Tennessee | $101K | -4% | 2,680 |
| Utah | $100K | -4% | 2,320 |
| Alabama | $100K | -4% | 3,760 |
| Illinois | $100K | -5% | 9,530 |
| Louisiana | $99K | -5% | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $98K | -6% | 3,370 |
| Nebraska | $96K | -8% | 1,560 |
| South Carolina | $96K | -9% | 2,990 |
| Iowa | $89K | -15% | 2,510 |
| Nevada | $89K | -15% | 1,320 |
| Maine | $88K | -16% | 860 |
| Ohio | $87K | -16% | 6,880 |
| Mississippi | $87K | -17% | 2,230 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -19% | 1,520 |
| Florida | $84K | -20% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $81K | -23% | 570 |
| Arkansas | $78K | -25% | 1,970 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education administrators, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 19.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for education administrators, postsecondaries in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, postsecondaries typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,027/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education administrators, postsecondary a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $75K here vs. $105K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for education administrators, postsecondaries?
Fort Smith pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do education administrators, postsecondaries make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $75,180 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,450, and experienced education administrators, postsecondaries can clear $189,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,876/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 19.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a education administrators, postsecondary salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median education administrators, postsecondary salary is worth about $87,531 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.