Highest-paying jobs in Fort Smith
Highest-paying jobs in Fort Smith
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Fort Smith. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $69,980
- Median hourly wage: $33.65
- Total employment: 150 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $71,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.21
- Total employment: 90 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $71,520
- Median hourly wage: $34.39
- Total employment: 100 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $72,580
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 130 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $73,270
- Median hourly wage: $35.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $74,040
- Median hourly wage: $35.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $74,450
- Median hourly wage: $35.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $74,490
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 160 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $74,610
- Median hourly wage: $35.87
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $76,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.63
- Total employment: 160 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $76,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $76,500
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 200 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $76,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 150 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $76,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 2,110 people (21.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $77,090
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $78,320
- Median hourly wage: $37.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 130 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $80,570
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 150 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $81,420
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $81,460
- Median hourly wage: $39.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $83,550
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $85,230
- Median hourly wage: $40.98
- Total employment: 370 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $85,540
- Median hourly wage: $41.12
- Total employment: 130 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $87,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $88,070
- Median hourly wage: $42.34
- Total employment: 130 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $89,990
- Median hourly wage: $43.26
- Total employment: 100 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $92,810
- Median hourly wage: $44.62
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $94,440
- Median hourly wage: $45.40
- Total employment: 180 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $95,440
- Median hourly wage: $45.89
- Total employment: 70 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $95,920
- Median hourly wage: $46.12
- Total employment: 110 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,200
- Median hourly wage: $46.25
- Total employment: 340 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $96,840
- Median hourly wage: $46.56
- Total employment: 140 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $99,610
- Median hourly wage: $47.89
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $101,140
- Median hourly wage: $48.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $102,280
- Median hourly wage: $49.18
- Total employment: 240 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $102,460
- Median hourly wage: $49.26
- Total employment: 200 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $102,500
- Median hourly wage: $49.28
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $103,270
- Median hourly wage: $49.65
- Total employment: 210 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 130 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $105,140
- Median hourly wage: $50.55
- Total employment: 400 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $105,480
- Median hourly wage: $50.71
- Total employment: 160 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $106,860
- Median hourly wage: $51.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $111,910
- Median hourly wage: $53.80
- Total employment: 270 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $115,580
- Median hourly wage: $55.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $116,710
- Median hourly wage: $56.11
- Total employment: 130 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $124,680
- Median hourly wage: $59.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $131,380
- Median hourly wage: $63.16
- Total employment: 200 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $158,140
- Median hourly wage: $76.03
- Total employment: 80 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
