Technology Fort Smith, AR Pop. 89,142

Data Engineer Salary in Fort Smith, Arkansas

The median data engineer salary in Fort Smith, AR is $92,500 per year, which is 26% below the national median and 5.1% below the Arkansas state average.

City Median
$92,500
vs State Avg
$-5,000
vs National
$-32,500
Cost of Living
80%

Data Engineer Pay in Fort Smith: What to Expect (2026)

Fort Smith offers a median data engineer salary of $92,500, which is $5,000 below the Arkansas state average of $97,500. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Fort Smith pays below the national benchmark for this role.

One of Fort Smith's biggest advantages is its low cost of living at 80% of the national average. This means the $92,500 salary stretches further here — equivalent to roughly $115,625 in an average-cost city. This makes Fort Smith an attractive option for data engineers seeking strong real-dollar compensation.

The salary range for data engineers in Fort Smith spans from $57,720 at the 10th percentile to $140,600 at the 90th percentile — a $82,880 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $59,200, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $133,200. Fort Smith is a smaller market (pop. 89,142), which may mean fewer openings but also less competition for available positions.

Data Engineer Salary in Fort Smith by Experience

In Fort Smith, an entry-level data engineer earns around $59,200, while experienced professionals earn up to $133,200 per year. The local cost of living index is 80% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$59,200
$-20,800 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$93,980
$-33,020 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$133,200
$-46,800 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Fort Smith, AR

Percentile Fort Smith
10th Percentile $57,720
25th Percentile $74,000
Median (50th) $92,500
75th Percentile $116,920
90th Percentile $140,600

Data Engineer Salary in Other Arkansas Cities

Fayetteville, AR
$102,500
Pop. 93,949
Little Rock, AR
$101,250
Pop. 202,591
Springdale, AR
$97,500
Pop. 80,433
Jonesboro, AR
$95,000
Pop. 78,576

How to Become a Data Engineer in Fort Smith

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Fort Smith and the surrounding Arkansas area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Fort Smith may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Fort Smith

Browse open data engineer positions in Fort Smith, AR:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Fort Smith

How much does a Data Engineer make in Fort Smith, AR? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Fort Smith, Arkansas is $92,500 per year, which is 26% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $57,720 (10th percentile) to $140,600 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Fort Smith? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $92,500, a data engineer in Fort Smith earns approximately $44 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Fort Smith compare to the Arkansas state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Fort Smith's median data engineer salary of $92,500 is 5.1% below the Arkansas state average of $97,500. The local cost of living index is 80% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Fort Smith, AR? ▼
Fort Smith has a cost of living index of 80% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $92,500 in Fort Smith has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Fort Smith? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Fort Smith require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.