Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Fort Smith, AR-OK
Hiring a medical administrative assistant costs less in Fort Smith than in Arkansas or the country as a whole. The median is $35,830 a year1: 3.2% below the Arkansas statewide median of $37,000 and 22.0% below the US median of $45,930. Nationally that is #493 of 516 areas, in the bottom tenth. The market is small, about 280 people, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Fort Smith, AR-OK. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fort Smith against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $34,140 | $35,830 | $42,790 | |
| Arkansas | $31,690 | $37,000 | $47,960 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Fort Smith earns $35,580–$37,540. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $42,790, only 1.3 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $1,960 wide, against $7,520 across Arkansas and $12,010 nationally: employers in Fort Smith pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a medical administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,140 | $2,845 | $16.41 | $44,052 |
| 25th percentile | $35,580 | $2,965 | $17.11 | $45,910 |
| Median | $35,830 | $2,986 | $17.23 | $46,232 |
| 75th percentile | $37,540 | $3,128 | $18.05 | $48,439 |
| 90th percentile | $42,790 | $3,566 | $20.57 | $55,213 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $1,710 over the median, the 25th only $250 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $2,206 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $45,930 falls above the 90th percentile in Fort Smith, and the Arkansas statewide median of $37,000 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what nine in ten local medical administrative assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in Fort Smith
At the $35,830 median, a local hire costs about $46,232 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,402 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for medical administrative assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Fort Smith
Of the 16 roles we track in Fort Smith, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($37,060) and virtual receptionists ($34,000). Project Coordinator is the highest at $74,990.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +5.1% | 720 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +4.7% | 1,860 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +3.4% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 280 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -5.1% | 630 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #8 of the 16 roles we track in Fort Smith (-22.0%), between administrative assistants (-20.8%) and payroll specialists (-22.2%). The typical role here is at -22.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 3.6% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Fort Smith, 2.1% across Arkansas and 6.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arkansas
Across the 9 areas of Arkansas with data for this job, the median runs from $34,980 in the North Arkansas nonmetro area to $39,630 in Little Rock-North Little Rock, a gap of $4,650 a year. Of the 3 areas in Arkansas with more medical administrative assistants than Fort Smith, 1 pays less: the North Arkansas nonmetro area ($34,980).
| Area | Median | vs Fort Smith | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs, AR | +8.3% | 100 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +2.5% | 90 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +1.1% | 130 | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | this area | 280 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 130 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 110 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 290 |
Fort Smith against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fort Smith is #412 of 514 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Arkansas, Monroe and Hinesville pay just above Fort Smith and Eagle Pass and Dothan just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Fort Smith. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fort Smith | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TX | +12.3% | 280 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | +11.4% | 280 | jobs | |
| Charleston, WV | +7.6% | 280 | jobs | |
| Hinesville, GA | +0.5% | 120 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | +0.3% | 110 | pay | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | this area | 280 | ||
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.2% | 70 | pay | |
| Dothan, AL | -0.8% | 690 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
About $46,232 a year at the median, or $3,853 a month: $35,830 in pay plus about $10,402 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in Fort Smith?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $35,830 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,140, the 90th $42,790, and the middle half earned $35,580 to $37,540.
Is Fort Smith cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $35,830 against $37,000 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is the South Arkansas nonmetro area at $36,240, the next down the West Arkansas nonmetro area at $35,680.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Fort Smith?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Arkansas have more; the closest in size is the North Arkansas nonmetro area, with about 290.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in Fort Smith?
Yes: $1,830 a year more at the median. The medians are $35,830 and $34,000.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6013: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-13.