Cost of hiring in the North Arkansas nonmetro area
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in the North Arkansas nonmetro area, with about 1,670 people1. Medians run from $34,300 a year for virtual receptionists to $73,220 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the North Arkansas nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.3% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -9.8% | 1,060 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -13.2% | 100 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -17.3% | 1,670 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -21.9% | 90 | |
| Bookkeeper | -22.7% | 1,130 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -23.8% | 290 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -24.3% | 870 | |
| HR Assistant | -24.9% | 40 | |
| Office Manager | -26.9% | 1,200 | |
| Paralegal | -26.9% | 80 | |
| Accountant | -27.1% | 420 | |
| Project Coordinator | -28.4% | 190 | |
| Recruiter | -30.3% | 370 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -32.9% | 260 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -36.4% | 260 | |
| Executive Assistant | -36.9% | 150 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $37,030 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $47,781 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the North Arkansas nonmetro area against the US
The North Arkansas nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for e-commerce order specialists (-5.3%) and virtual receptionists (-9.8%) and largest for executive assistants (-36.9%). The middle gap across all 17 is -24.9%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for e-commerce order specialists, #157 of 287 areas by median pay; its lowest is for accountants, #519 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the North Arkansas nonmetro area has more virtual receptionists (12.9% of these jobs here, against 5.7% nationally) and office managers (14.6% against 9.1%), and fewer project coordinators (2.3% against 6.7%) and paralegals (1.0% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Brownsville-Harlingen, TX is nearest, at -24.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LA | -23.3% | 14 | 4,980 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -23.6% | 11 | 1,250 |
| Laredo, TX | -24.2% | 17 | 10,520 |
| Gadsden, AL | -24.4% | 11 | 2,870 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -24.4% | 17 | 15,460 |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -24.9% (this area) | 17 | 8,220 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, paralegals in the North Arkansas nonmetro area span $35,370–$138,590, the widest band (3.9×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $36,590–$46,190. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 17 roles, e-commerce order specialists most ($35,530–$63,530 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives, paralegals and 6 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($59,520 against a $50,120 median for marketing specialists).
the North Arkansas nonmetro area against Arkansas
Against Arkansas as a whole, the North Arkansas nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 17 roles, led by data entry specialists (+6.0%) and e-commerce order specialists (+4.7%), and less for 15, most of all marketing specialists (-23.4%). It has the lowest median in Arkansas for marketing specialists, HR assistants and medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Arkansas
By jobs in these roles, the North Arkansas nonmetro area is #3 of 9 areas in Arkansas. The table shows the other 8.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | 32,430 | 17 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | 25,800 | 17 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 7,690 | 16 |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | 6,720 | 14 |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | 4,930 | 15 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 4,150 | 15 |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | 3,880 | 12 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 2,720 | 12 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the North Arkansas nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $73,220 a year, about $94,477 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $34,300.
Is hiring in the North Arkansas nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for executive assistants (-36.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.