State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in Arkansas
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 234 public school districts in Arkansas.
- $55,703
- Est. state avg salary
- -35.0%
- vs national
- #51
- National rank
- 234
- Districts
Arkansas's estimated average teacher salary is $55,703, materially below the national average of $85,759, ranking #51 of 51 states and territories, across 234 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- lower third nationally (#51 of 51)
- $44,881 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- -35.0% vs the national average
- +15.4% since FY2019
- #50 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 86.9)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for Arkansas?
Arkansas reports 234 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $55,703. That places the state in the lower third of US teacher-pay rankings - #51 of 51, materially below the national average of $85,759 (-35.0%). The state's public schools serve 465,413 students across these districts. Most district figures divide total instructional spending by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey); a small number of large consolidated districts that report staffing only at a sub-district level fall back to an estimated ratio instead, since total instructional spending also includes aides and assistants, both figures run somewhat above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, treat this as a relative cross-district comparison, not an exact paycheck, and see our methodology for the formula, its data source per district, and its limits.
Among enrolling districts, pay varies widely: Fayetteville School District reports the highest estimated average salary at $75,063, while Mammoth Spring School District sits at the lower end at $30,181 - a spread of $44,881 between top and bottom reporting districts. Licensing rules, state aid formulas, collective bargaining density, and local tax bases all drive this intra-state variation. Urban and suburban districts with larger tax bases typically lead, while rural districts often lag despite lower cost of living.
Teacher compensation here reflects both state policy choices, the statutory minimum salary schedule, pension funding levels, licensure reciprocity, and the funding formula that determines how much state aid each district receives per pupil. A #51 national rank signals where Arkansas sits in the competition for teachers against neighboring states; teacher shortage areas typically correlate with lower pay rank. Figures below are per-district averages derived from the F-33 instructional salary expenditure field (Z33) divided by each district's reported teacher FTE (or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure), a district-level aggregate, not individual salary records.
Purchasing-power-adjusted rank
Arkansas's nominal average teacher salary ranks #51 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (86.9, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $64,090, ranking #50 of 51 , 1 places higher than the nominal rank once relative price levels are factored in. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download.
Arkansas's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in Arkansas
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$75,063 Est. avg salary
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$74,650 Est. avg salary
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$70,214 Est. avg salary
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$68,897 Est. avg salary
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$67,462 Est. avg salary
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$66,400 Est. avg salary
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$66,311 Est. avg salary
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$65,991 Est. avg salary
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$65,614 Est. avg salary
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$63,024 Est. avg salary
What this shows Fayetteville School District leads Arkansas on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.
Top 3 districts
Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary
Showing 1–100 of 221 enrolling districts. Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.
Lowest-Paying Districts in Arkansas
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Spring School District | $30,181 | 524 |
| Poyen School District | $30,286 | 515 |
| Valley Springs School District | $31,016 | 862 |
| Bald Knob School District | $31,867 | 1,150 |
| Bismarck School District | $31,960 | 965 |
| Decatur School District | $32,882 | 610 |
| Hillcrest School District | $33,218 | 420 |
| Armorel School District | $33,478 | 427 |
| Junction City School District | $33,872 | 664 |
| Magnet Cove School Dist. | $33,937 | 714 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Compare Nearby-Ranked States
Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2022. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.
Arkansas teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in Arkansas?
Across Arkansas's 234 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $55,703 (NCES CCD F-33 finance data divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2022). This figure is derived from total instructional spending and runs above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, read it as a relative comparison.
Which Arkansas school district pays teachers the most?
Fayetteville School District reports the highest average teacher salary in Arkansas at $75,063, while Mammoth Spring School District sits at the lower end at $30,181.
How does Arkansas teacher pay compare to the national average?
Arkansas's average of $55,703 is materially below the national average of $85,759 (-35.0%), ranking #51 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in Arkansas?
Arkansas has 234 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 465,413 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in Arkansas?
No Arkansas district with reliable data reports an estimated average teacher salary at or above $100,000; the state's highest is Fayetteville School District at $75,063. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does Arkansas rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (86.9, US=100), Arkansas's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $64,090, ranking #50 of 51 states and territories, higher than its #51 nominal-salary rank. This is a relative state-level price-level comparison, not take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.
Related
According to the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, PlainTeacher's figures are computed directly, no number is typed in by an editor. Arkansas's district figures are aggregated directly from each district's FY2022 F-33 submission, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of FY2022.
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |