Office Manager salary in the West Arkansas nonmetro area
The West Arkansas nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for office managers: the median of $49,180 a year1 is 15.4% below the Arkansas statewide median of $58,100, and 29.2% below the US median of $69,500. Only 7 of 519 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 680 people in this job here, 5% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the West Arkansas nonmetro area against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | $36,990 | $49,180 | $78,780 | |
| Arkansas | $38,600 | $58,100 | $86,580 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
Office managers at the 90th percentile earn $78,780, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of office managers in the West Arkansas nonmetro area earns $42,060–$62,490. The mean ($54,610) is 11% 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 $20,430 wide, against $24,470 across Arkansas and $29,140 nationally: employers in the West 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 | $36,990 | $3,082 | $17.78 | $47,729 |
| 25th percentile | $42,060 | $3,505 | $20.22 | $54,271 |
| Median | $49,180 | $4,098 | $23.64 | $63,458 |
| 75th percentile | $62,490 | $5,208 | $30.04 | $80,632 |
| 90th percentile | $78,780 | $6,565 | $37.88 | $101,652 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $13,310 over the median, the 25th only $7,120 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $17,174 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 West 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 West 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 $14,278 to the $49,180 median and brings it to $63,458 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 West Arkansas nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the West Arkansas nonmetro area, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($50,290) and sales development representatives ($48,450). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,570.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +9.3% | 250 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +2.3% | 170 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 680 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.5% | 160 | |
| Executive Assistant | -2.8% | 110 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #11 of the 15 roles we track in the West Arkansas nonmetro area (-29.2%), between payroll specialists (-27.7%) and recruiters (-29.2%). The typical role here is at -23.8%, so, measured against the US, office managers cost less in the West Arkansas nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Office managers hold 13.8% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the West Arkansas nonmetro area, 12.9% 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 5 areas in Arkansas with more office managers than the West 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 West Arkansas nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +16.2% | 960 | |
| Hot Springs, AR | +7.3% | 400 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +5.3% | 560 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +3.9% | 980 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +3.3% | 1,200 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | this area | 680 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 540 |
the West Arkansas nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the West Arkansas nonmetro area is #330 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, Eagle Pass and Monroe pay just above the West Arkansas nonmetro area and Brownsville-Harlingen and Beckley just below. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the West Arkansas nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | +31.4% | 680 | jobs | |
| Billings, MT | +28.8% | 680 | jobs | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | +13.2% | 680 | jobs | |
| Monroe, LA | +4.8% | 1,030 | pay | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | +3.1% | 190 | pay | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | this area | 680 | ||
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -0.3% | 1,560 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | -4.7% | 390 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in West Arkansas (Nonmetro)?
About $63,458 a year at the median, or $5,288 a month: $49,180 in pay plus about $14,278 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in the West Arkansas nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $49,180 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,990, the 90th $78,780, and the middle half earned $42,060 to $62,490.
Is the West Arkansas nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $49,180 against $58,100 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is the North Arkansas nonmetro area at $50,800, the next down the East Arkansas nonmetro area at $48,680.
How many office managers work in the West Arkansas nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 680 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Arkansas total of 13,630. 5 areas in Arkansas have more; the closest in size is Fort Smith, with about 960.
Does an office manager cost more than a sales development representative in the West Arkansas nonmetro area?
Yes: $730 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,180 and $48,450.
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.