Nursing Assistants Salary
In Arkansas, nursing assistants earn $34,430 at the median, or about $16.55 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $39,286 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 43.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Arkansas?
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for nursing assistants in Arkansas runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,021/month, which is 43% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for nursing assistantss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Assistants 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 | $36K | +4% | 2,320 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $35K | +3% | 5,250 |
| Jonesboro | $35K | +2% | 1,050 |
| Fort Smith | $32K | -7% | 1,580 |
| Hot Springs | $30K | -13% | 810 |
Compare to other states
Track nursing assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 43% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing assistants in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,730/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nursing assistant a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $34K here vs. $42K 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 nursing assistants?
Arkansas pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Arkansas?
The median is $34,430 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,840, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $39,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,377/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 43% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a nursing assistants 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 nursing assistants salary is worth about $39,286 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nursing assistants 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.