Rido // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $86,240
- Median hourly wage: $41.46
- Total employment: 280 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Little Rock
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 Little Rock. 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.
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $86,490
- Median hourly wage: $41.58
- Total employment: 2,070 people (5.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $86,940
- Median hourly wage: $41.80
- Total employment: 360 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $87,010
- Median hourly wage: $41.83
- Total employment: 700 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $87,100
- Median hourly wage: $41.88
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $87,360
- Median hourly wage: $42.00
- Total employment: 330 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $87,850
- Median hourly wage: $42.23
- Total employment: 210 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $89,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 700 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $90,290
- Median hourly wage: $43.41
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $90,750
- Median hourly wage: $43.63
- Total employment: 2,360 people (6.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $90,820
- Median hourly wage: $43.66
- Total employment: 280 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $90,830
- Median hourly wage: $43.67
- Total employment: 220 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Landscape architects
- Median annual wage: $90,990
- Median hourly wage: $43.75
- Total employment: Not available
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $92,480
- Median hourly wage: $44.46
- Total employment: 240 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $93,340
- Median hourly wage: $44.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.48
- Total employment: Not available
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $94,970
- Median hourly wage: $45.66
- Total employment: 1,140 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,400
- Median hourly wage: $45.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $95,420
- Median hourly wage: $45.88
- Total employment: 310 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $95,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 390 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Audiologists
- Median annual wage: $96,380
- Median hourly wage: $46.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
23 / 50#27. Occupational therapists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 670 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Optometrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $98,490
- Median hourly wage: $47.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $99,060
- Median hourly wage: $47.62
- Total employment: 130 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $99,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 1,100 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $100,500
- Median hourly wage: $48.32
- Total employment: 2,170 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $100,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.46
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $101,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.56
- Total employment: 1,420 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $101,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 390 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $102,850
- Median hourly wage: $49.45
- Total employment: 150 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $103,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 390 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $103,700
- Median hourly wage: $49.86
- Total employment: 360 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,320
- Median hourly wage: $50.15
- Total employment: 70 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,790
- Median hourly wage: $50.86
- Total employment: 390 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VE.Studio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $111,750
- Median hourly wage: $53.73
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $113,660
- Median hourly wage: $54.64
- Total employment: 1,140 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $117,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $117,800
- Median hourly wage: $56.64
- Total employment: 1,140 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $122,550
- Median hourly wage: $58.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $122,810
- Median hourly wage: $59.04
- Total employment: 330 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $127,740
- Median hourly wage: $61.41
- Total employment: 250 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $129,590
- Median hourly wage: $62.30
- Total employment: 170 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,380
- Median hourly wage: $64.61
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $136,890
- Median hourly wage: $65.81
- Total employment: 550 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $174,960
- Median hourly wage: $84.12
- Total employment: 200 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $178,830
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,570 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $186,780
- Median hourly wage: $89.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,020 people (2.88 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.
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