Federal employee salaries in Arkansas
Full-time federal civilian employees with a published duty station in Arkansas earned a median of $92,491 in September 2026, 16% below the all-federal median of $109,641. That ranks #39 of 51 (50 states and DC) by median pay.
OPM withheld the duty-station location for 943,611 federal employees nationwide, including the entire Department of Defense civilian workforce and large parts of the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice. Those employees are not counted in any state, so state totals understate the federal presence, especially in states with large military installations.
Pay by occupation in Arkansas
The 30 largest occupations in Arkansas with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay (56 qualify in total).
| Occupation | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Series 0610 | 1,578 | $128,399 |
| Medical Support Assistance Series 0679 | 578 | $52,977 |
| Medical Officer Series 0602 | 328 | $321,068 |
| Social Work Series 0185 | 285 | $111,469 |
| Miscellaneous Administration and Program Series 0301 | 247 | $89,618 |
| Social Insurance Administration Series 0105 | 246 | $94,597 |
| Consumer Safety Inspection Series 1862 | 241 | $72,012 |
| Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant Series 0303 | 215 | $56,004 |
| Nursing Assistant Series 0621 | 193 | $53,440 |
| Veterans Claims Examining Series 0996 | 193 | $88,356 |
| Pharmacist Series 0660 | 188 | $177,337 |
| Practical Nurse Series 0620 | 182 | $71,159 |
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401 | 167 | $113,378 |
| Custodial Working Series 3566 | 145 | $41,761 |
| Management and Program Analysis Series 0343 | 144 | $97,087 |
| Soil Conservation Series 0457 | 142 | $82,148 |
| General Health Science Series 0601 | 140 | $84,638 |
| Forestry Technician Series 0462 | 135 | $58,871 |
| Information Technology Management Series 2210 | 126 | $119,690 |
| Human Resources Management Series 0201 | 124 | $110,395 |
| Health Aid and Technician Series 0640 | 105 | $57,631 |
| Medical Technologist Series 0644 | 94 | $106,050 |
| Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist Series 0647 | 90 | $96,448 |
| Psychology Series 0180 | 82 | $151,894 |
| Pharmacy Technician Series 0661 | 81 | $62,429 |
| General Business and Industry Series 1101 | 81 | $77,168 |
| Maintenance Mechanic Series 4749 | 79 | $62,527 |
| Social Science Series 0101 | 79 | $89,618 |
| Air Traffic Control Series 2152 | 78 | $112,642 |
| Biological Science Technician Series 0404 | 76 | $58,871 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Pay by agency in Arkansas
| Agency | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | 6,170 | $94,317 |
| Department of Agriculture | 1,336 | $76,128 |
| Social Security Administration | 365 | $94,597 |
| Department of Health and Human Services | 360 | $124,177 |
| Department of the Interior | 323 | $73,252 |
| Department of Justice | 289 | $86,026 |
| Department of Transportation | 191 | $110,786 |
| Department of Commerce | 120 | $110,190 |
| Department of Homeland Security | 76 | $103,223 |
| Department of the Treasury | 62 | $111,759 |
| Department of Energy | 61 | $112,176 |
| Department of Labor | 44 | $98,459 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Change since September 2025
The median moved +3.3% from $89,530 in September 2025 to $92,491 in September 2026. Headcount went from 10,240 to 9,567 (−6.6%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.
States with similar median federal pay
- #37 Indiana$93,253
- #38 Iowa$92,491
- #40 Nebraska$92,051
- #41 Missouri$90,968