Office Manager salary in the North Arkansas nonmetro area
Hiring an office manager costs less in the North Arkansas nonmetro area than in Arkansas or the country as a whole. The median is $50,800 a year1: 12.6% below the Arkansas statewide median of $58,100 and 26.9% below the US median of $69,500. Only 12 of 519 US areas pay less for this job. About 1,200 office managers work here, 9% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the North Arkansas nonmetro area against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | $36,420 | $50,800 | $80,570 | |
| Arkansas | $38,600 | $58,100 | $86,580 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in the North Arkansas nonmetro area earns $43,150–$63,090. The top tenth earns $80,570 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. The mean ($55,590) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $19,940 wide, against $24,470 across Arkansas and $29,140 nationally: employers in the North Arkansas nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,420 | $3,035 | $17.51 | $46,994 |
| 25th percentile | $43,150 | $3,596 | $20.75 | $55,677 |
| Median | $50,800 | $4,233 | $24.42 | $65,548 |
| 75th percentile | $63,090 | $5,258 | $30.33 | $81,406 |
| 90th percentile | $80,570 | $6,714 | $38.74 | $103,961 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $12,290 over the median, the 25th only $7,650 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $15,858 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 $69,500 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the North Arkansas nonmetro area, and the Arkansas statewide median of $58,100 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local office managers earn.
What a hire really costs in the North Arkansas nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $14,748 to the $50,800 median and brings it to $65,548 a year. 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 office managers 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 the North Arkansas nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the North Arkansas nonmetro area, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($52,920) and marketing specialists ($50,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $73,220.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +20.0% | 420 | |
| Recruiter | +4.2% | 370 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 1,200 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -1.3% | 260 | |
| Executive Assistant | -4.9% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the North Arkansas nonmetro area (-26.9%), between HR assistants (-24.9%) and paralegals (-26.9%). The typical role here is at -24.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 14.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the North Arkansas nonmetro area, 12.7% across Arkansas and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger 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 $48,680 in the East Arkansas nonmetro area to $63,620 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $14,940 a year. All 2 areas in Arkansas with more office managers than the North Arkansas nonmetro area also pay more, among them Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR ($58,720) and Fayetteville-Springdale, AR ($63,620).
| Area | Median | vs the North Arkansas nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +12.5% | 960 | |
| Hot Springs, AR | +3.9% | 400 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +1.9% | 560 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +0.6% | 980 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,200 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -3.2% | 680 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -4.2% | 540 |
the North Arkansas nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the North Arkansas nonmetro area is #195 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Arkansas, Monroe and Lafayette pay just above the North Arkansas nonmetro area and Eagle Pass and Brownsville-Harlingen just below. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the North Arkansas nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +54.1% | 1,210 | jobs | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | +20.7% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | +17.9% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | +1.6% | 1,830 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | +1.4% | 1,030 | pay | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,200 | ||
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.2% | 190 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -3.5% | 1,560 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in North Arkansas (Nonmetro)?
About $65,548 a year at the median, or $5,462 a month: $50,800 in pay plus about $14,748 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in the North Arkansas nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,420, the 90th $80,570, and the middle half earned $43,150 to $63,090.
Is the North Arkansas nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,800 against $58,100 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is the South Arkansas nonmetro area at $51,100, the next down the West Arkansas nonmetro area at $49,180.
How many office managers work in the North Arkansas nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,200 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Arkansas total of 13,630. Only Little Rock-North Little Rock and Fayetteville-Springdale have more in Arkansas.
Does an office manager cost more than a marketing specialist in the North Arkansas nonmetro area?
Yes: $680 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,800 and $50,120.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: 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 2026-11-12.