Nurse Practitioners Salary
In Arkansas, nurse practitioners earn $125,660 at the median, or about $60.41 an hour. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $206K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $143,382 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 13.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $126K get you in Arkansas?
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Nurse practitioners pay in Arkansas tracks closely to the national median, $126K locally vs. $132K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 13.3% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $126K. Top earners bring in $206K or more, a $106K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Practitioners salary by metro in Arkansas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith | $129K | +3% | 270 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $127K | +1% | 600 |
| Jonesboro | $127K | +1% | 280 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $127K | +1% | 1,360 |
| Hot Springs | $123K | -2% | 210 |
Compare to other states
Track nurse practitioners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse practitioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $126K, rent takes 13.3% 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 nurse practitioners in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse practitioners typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,965/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 17% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nurse practitioner a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $126K locally vs. $132K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for nurse practitioners?
Arkansas pays $126K median vs. the U.S. average of $132K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $143K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse practitioners make in Arkansas?
The median is $125,660 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,420, and experienced nurse practitioners can clear $205,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $126K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,659/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 13.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nurse practitioners 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 nurse practitioners salary is worth about $143,382 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nurse practitioners 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.