Lawyers Salary
Lawyers in Arkansas make a median of $98,880 a year, or about $47.54 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $221K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $112,825 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 16.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $99K actually covers in Arkansas, month by month
About lawyers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for lawyers in Arkansas runs about 38% below the U.S. median of $160K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 16.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Arkansas can be a reasonable trade-off for lawyers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $221K or more, a $171K spread from bottom to top.
Lawyers salary by metro in Arkansas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $126K | +28% | 810 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $98K | -1% | 1,670 |
| Hot Springs | $93K | -6% | 90 |
| Jonesboro | $93K | -6% | 90 |
| Fort Smith | $88K | -11% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track lawyers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a lawyer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 16.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lawyers in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lawyers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,363/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is lawyer a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 38% below the national median — $99K here vs. $160K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for lawyers?
Arkansas pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $160K — that’s -38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — below the national median.
How much do lawyers make in Arkansas?
The median is $98,880 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,900, and experienced lawyers can clear $220,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,188/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 16.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a lawyers salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 lawyers salary is worth about $112,825 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lawyers 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.