Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
7 metro areas in Arkansas publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 37,270 jobs. The three largest employers of registered nurses are Memphis (13,760 jobs), Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway (11,550 jobs), Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers (4,870 jobs), which hold 81.0% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $77,910 to $81,500 a year, against $78,940 for the whole state and $97,550 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $97,550 a year for registered nurses (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $68,940 and the highest-paid tenth over $137,470). Employment is projected to change by +5.6% between 2025 and 2035, with about 180,800 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: Bachelor's degree. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Registered nurses in Arkansas: the highest median pay is in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR area ($81,500 a year); the most jobs are in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR area (13,760). Statewide the median is $78,940 with 29,400 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 13,760 | $81,500 | $65,280 | $112,310 | 1.04 | 18% | 92.2 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 11,550 | $81,070 | $60,270 | $114,190 | 1.48 | 16% | 89.4 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 1,760 | $80,610 | $60,960 | $99,370 | 1.41 | 14% | 84.0 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 2,180 | $79,870 | $58,540 | $98,500 | 1.05 | 13% | 85.9 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 1,990 | $78,940 | $64,520 | $100,250 | 1.51 | 14% | 85.9 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 1,160 | $78,590 | $59,760 | $122,360 | 1.38 | 15% | 85.7 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 4,870 | $77,910 | $64,440 | $103,790 | 0.81 | 18% | 91.4 |
National page: Registered nurses →Cities of Arkansas
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR area, with a median of $81,500 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR area, with 13,760 jobs.