SOC 25-2021 · Fort Smith, AR-OK metro

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Fort Smith, AR

The average salary for elementary school teachers (except special education) in Fort Smith, Arkansas is $59,000 a year, according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $52,620: half of the 840 people in this job in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 19% less than the U.S. average for this job ($72,650).

$59,000average per year

Median $52,620Take-home ≈ $47,892

  • $47K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $53KMedian
  • $64K75th
  • $81K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

840people in this job
-19%vs U.S. average
#2 of 5Arkansas metros
86cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Fort Smith

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $81,430 or more. The middle half of elementary school teachers (except special education) in Fort Smith earn between $49,460 and $64,300.

  • $47K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $53KMedian
  • $64K75th
  • $81K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$59,000$4,917—
Median$52,620$4,385—
Entry level (25th percentile)$49,460$4,122—
Experienced (75th percentile)$64,300$5,358—

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Fort Smith vs. Arkansas and the U.S.

Elementary school teachers (except special education) in Fort Smith earn 5% more than the Arkansas average ($56,210) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($72,650). At the median the gap is -18% against the U.S. median of $63,970.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Fort Smith$59,000$52,620$46,990$81,430840
Arkansas$56,210$52,700$49,380$63,12012,590
United States$72,650$63,970$47,960$104,3401,388,390

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Fort Smith

On the average salary of $59,000, a single filer in Fort Smith takes home about $47,892 a year, or $3,991 a month and $1,842 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

The Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in AR$47,892$3,991
Working in OK$47,477$3,956

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.

Arkansas paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Fort Smith a good place for elementary school teachers (except special education)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Fort Smith area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $59,000 buys what about $68,694 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Smith ($39,560). A typical home costs $205,554, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $59,000 is worth in another city

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Arkansas cities

Fort Smith ranks 2nd of 5 Arkansas metro areas for this job; Fayetteville pays the most ($61,290).

All Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Arkansas

Highest-paying cities for elementary school teachers (except special education)

Mount Vernon, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($106,760).

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city

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Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Fort Smith: questions

What is the entry-level elementary school teachers (except special education) salary in Fort Smith?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,460, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the elementary school teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Fort Smith?

About $47,892 a year ($3,991 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,000. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.

Do elementary school teachers (except special education) earn more in Fort Smith than elsewhere?

The average here is 19% less than the U.S. average for this job ($72,650).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-2021; area Fort Smith, AR-OK (22900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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