Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Arkansas make a median of $78,940 a year, or about $37.95 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $90,073 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 19.7% 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 $79K get you in Arkansas?
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for registered nurses in Arkansas runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 20.1% 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 registered nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Arkansas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $81K | +3% | 11,550 |
| Fort Smith | $80K | +1% | 2,180 |
| Jonesboro | $79K | +0% | 1,990 |
| Hot Springs | $79K | -0% | 1,160 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $78K | -1% | 4,870 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 20.1% 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 registered nurses in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,647/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $79K here vs. $98K 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 registered nurses?
Arkansas pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Arkansas?
The median is $78,940 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,780, and experienced registered nurses can clear $103,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,084/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 20.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses 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 registered nurses salary is worth about $90,073 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses 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.