Project Coordinator salary in Fort Smith, AR-OK
Fort Smith is a lower-cost market for project coordinators: the median of $74,990 a year1 is 2.8% below the Arkansas statewide median of $77,170, and 26.7% below the US median of $102,320. Only 23 of 518 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 290 project coordinators here: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 13-1082, 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 | $46,710 | $74,990 | $123,650 | |
| Arkansas | $47,620 | $77,170 | $133,420 | |
| United States | $61,580 | $102,320 | $167,970 |
Project coordinators at the 90th percentile earn $123,650, 2.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.7. The middle half of project coordinators in Fort Smith earns $57,220–$96,070. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $38,850 wide, against $46,040 across Arkansas and $54,660 nationally: employers in Fort Smith pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a project coordinator here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,710 | $3,892 | $22.46 | $60,271 |
| 25th percentile | $57,220 | $4,768 | $27.51 | $73,832 |
| Median | $74,990 | $6,249 | $36.05 | $96,761 |
| 75th percentile | $96,070 | $8,006 | $46.19 | $123,961 |
| 90th percentile | $123,650 | $10,304 | $59.45 | $159,548 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $17,770 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $21,080, or about $27,200 once benefits are added. 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 $102,320 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in Fort Smith, and the Arkansas statewide median of $77,170 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local project coordinators earn.
What a hire really costs in Fort Smith
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 $21,771 to the $74,990 median and brings it to $96,761 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 project coordinators 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
Project coordinators have the highest median of the 16 roles we track in Fort Smith; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $34,000.
| Role | Median | vs project coordinator | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | this role | 290 | |
| Accountant | -16.0% | 520 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -21.4% | 290 | |
| Office Manager | -23.8% | 960 | |
| Recruiter | -27.7% | 400 |
Measured against the US median, project coordinators rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in Fort Smith (-26.7%), between paralegals (-25.9%) and recruiters (-28.6%). The typical role here is at -22.1%, so, measured against the US, project coordinators cost less in Fort Smith than the area's general pay level would suggest. Project coordinators hold 3.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Fort Smith, 5.2% across Arkansas and 6.8% 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 $66,430 in Jonesboro to $82,310 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $15,880 a year. Of the 2 areas in Arkansas with more project coordinators than Fort Smith, 1 pays less: Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR ($73,480).
| Area | Median | vs Fort Smith | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +9.8% | 1,990 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +7.4% | 190 | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | this area | 290 | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -2.0% | 1,730 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 190 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -3.9% | 290 | |
| Hot Springs, AR | -7.8% | 140 |
Fort Smith against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fort Smith is #341 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, Beckley and Hammond pay just above Fort Smith and Rapid City and Sebring just below. All four are within $1,270 a year of the median in Fort Smith. Of the three markets with about as many project coordinators, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fort Smith | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | +39.6% | 290 | jobs | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +11.1% | 290 | jobs | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | +6.5% | 290 | jobs | |
| Hammond, LA | +1.7% | 100 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | +1.7% | 90 | pay | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | this area | 290 | ||
| Rapid City, SD | -0.4% | 330 | pay | |
| Sebring, FL | -0.5% | 80 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a project coordinator in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
About $96,761 a year at the median, or $8,063 a month: $74,990 in pay plus about $21,771 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for project coordinators in Fort Smith?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $74,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,710, the 90th $123,650, and the middle half earned $57,220 to $96,070.
Is Fort Smith cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for project coordinators?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $74,990 against $77,170 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is the West Arkansas nonmetro area at $80,570, the next down Little Rock-North Little Rock at $73,480.
How many project coordinators work in Fort Smith?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. Only Fayetteville-Springdale and Little Rock-North Little Rock have more in Arkansas.
Does a project coordinator cost more than an accountant in Fort Smith?
Yes: $12,000 a year more at the median. The medians are $74,990 and $62,990.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1082: 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.