Updated September 8, 2026: Current public employer figures include $49,631 for Rogers FF/EMT, $58,424 for Rogers FF/Paramedic, $48,139 entry pay in Conway, $44,927 in North Little Rock, and $43,803 starting pay in Fort Smith. Fayetteville's 2026 candidate-pool range is $52,619.84–$72,275.84 annually.
Arkansas firefighter salaries are easy to misread because departments publish compensation in different ways. Some list one starting salary. Others show an hourly civil-service range. Fayetteville publishes a full firefighter class range, while Rogers separates EMT and paramedic starting pay and says scheduled overtime is not included.
This guide uses current municipal hiring pages, class specifications and LOPFI documents instead of forcing every department into a made-up statewide pay range.
Compare all states:Firefighter Salary by State Hub · Calculator:Salary Comparison Tool
Arkansas firefighter salary guide
What Is the Average Firefighter Salary in Arkansas?
The latest directly verifiable Arkansas state table from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS series, May 2023, reported a mean firefighter wage of $42,150 per year and $20.26 per hour. That is useful historical context, but it is not a 2026 municipal salary offer.
Current city pay has moved beyond that older statewide survey in several departments. For a 2026 applicant, the active department salary schedule is more useful than a statewide mean collected years earlier.
Data rule used here: older statewide data are labeled with the survey year. Current city numbers are taken from active or recent municipal recruitment pages and class specifications.
Arkansas Firefighter Salary by City — Current Published Pay
| Department | Published pay | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | $24.10–$35.11/hr | Current Firefighter Recruit class specification. Use the active civil-service posting for exact starting pay. |
| Fayetteville | $52,619.84–$72,275.84/yr | 2026 candidate pool / current firefighter class range; $18.07–$24.82 hourly. |
| Rogers | FF/EMT $49,631 FF/Paramedic $58,424 | Starting pay; scheduled overtime and experience pay excluded. |
| Conway | $48,139 | Current entry-level firefighter starting pay. |
| North Little Rock | $44,927 | 2026 firefighter posting; four-year apprenticeship progression. |
| Fort Smith | $43,803 | Current starting pay; 24/48 schedule averaging 56 hours/week. |
| Jonesboro | Recruit $45,122 Firefighter $46,771–$61,713 | Latest city salary structure located, effective January 2025; not relabeled as a 2026 adjustment. |
Recruit pay, journey-level ranges and paramedic classifications are different compensation stages. Do not rank departments from the table without checking schedule and qualifications.
Little Rock Firefighter Salary in 2026
The City of Little Rock's current Firefighter Recruit class specification lists $24.10 to $35.11 per hour. Little Rock uses civil-service classifications and both 40-hour and 56-hour fire schedules, so hourly figures should not automatically be multiplied by 2,080 and treated as operations pay.
The recruitment cycle that fed the 2026 Fire Academy opened in late 2025. Applicants should use the next active entry-firefighter bulletin for the exact hiring rate because class ranges and entry rates can be updated separately.
Fayetteville Firefighter Salary in 2026
Fayetteville's 2026 firefighter candidate-pool posting lists $18.07–$24.82 per hour. The city's firefighter class specification gives the corresponding annual range as $52,619.84–$72,275.84.
That annual figure is the better comparison point. Firefighter work schedules make simple hourly comparisons with a 40-hour civilian job misleading.
Rogers Firefighter Salary: EMT vs. Paramedic
Rogers publishes one of the clearest certification-based pay differences in the state:
- Firefighter/EMT: $49,631 starting pay
- Firefighter/Paramedic: $58,424 starting pay
The difference is $8,793 per year before scheduled overtime or experience pay. Rogers explicitly says those extras are not included in the published starting figures.
Fort Smith Firefighter Salary and Schedule
Fort Smith currently lists starting firefighter pay at $43,803 per year. Firefighters work a 24/48 schedule averaging 56 hours per week and receive LOPFI retirement coverage.
The department says other incentive packages are available, but its public recruitment page does not assign one universal dollar value to them. This article therefore does not invent an overtime or certification estimate.
North Little Rock, Conway, Jonesboro and Bentonville
North Little Rock firefighter salary
North Little Rock's July 2026 posting lists $44,927 annually. The city states that firefighters complete a four-year apprenticeship program progressing from Apprentice Firefighter to Journeyman Firefighter.
Conway firefighter salary
Conway Fire Department currently lists $48,139 annually for an entry-level firefighter. Its hiring process also awards qualification points for Firefighter I/II, EMT and paramedic credentials.
Jonesboro firefighter salary
Jonesboro's latest city fire pay structure located for this update is effective January 2025. It lists $45,122 for New Recruit, $46,771–$61,713 for Fire Fighter, $61,812–$72,423 for Driver/Operator and $72,114–$84,493 for Captain.
Because that document is dated 2025, those figures are shown as the latest published city scale found, not as a confirmed 2026 raise.
Bentonville firefighter salary
Bentonville's current Fire Department employment page confirms a 48/96 schedule and active career-development program but does not publish a precise current salary. A 2025 National Testing Network listing tied to Bentonville showed $45,000+ to $57,000+ for entry-level Firefighter EMT or Paramedic.
That older range is useful context only. Applicants should confirm current pay directly with Bentonville Fire recruiting before comparing it with 2026 offers elsewhere.
Arkansas Firefighter Overtime and 56-Hour Schedules
There is no reliable statewide estimate for how much overtime an Arkansas firefighter “usually” earns. The public sources do support several concrete points:
- Rogers: scheduled overtime is excluded from its published starting salaries.
- Fort Smith: firefighters work a 24/48 schedule averaging 56 hours per week.
- Little Rock: compensation and leave documents use both 40-hour and 56-hour fire classifications.
- Fayetteville: the city publishes both hourly and annual firefighter figures, which helps avoid misleading hourly comparisons.
When comparing departments, ask whether FLSA overtime is already built into the annual figure, how callback and holdover are paid, whether holiday compensation is separate, and what certification premiums are recurring.
LOPFI Pension: What Firefighters Contribute in 2026
Many Arkansas career municipal firefighters participate in the Local Police and Fire Retirement System (LOPFI). The employee contribution is not one universal rate.
| LOPFI coverage | 2026 member contribution |
|---|---|
| Benefit Program 1 + Social Security through the LOPFI employer | 3.5% of gross monthly reportable pay |
| Benefit Program 1 + no Social Security through the LOPFI employer | 9.5% |
| Benefit Program 2 | 9.5% regardless of Social Security coverage |
LOPFI's 2026 uniform employer contribution rate for paid-service departments is 24.50%. That is an employer retirement cost, not a 24.50% deduction from the firefighter's paycheck.
Before estimating take-home pay: ask HR which LOPFI Benefit Program applies and whether your LOPFI-covered job also participates in Social Security.
What Will an Arkansas Firefighter Actually Take Home?
A useful take-home estimate starts with the actual offer, not a statewide guess:
- Use the recruit or first-step base, not the top of the classification.
- Confirm whether scheduled/FLSA overtime is already included.
- Add only recurring certification or paramedic pay you qualify for.
- Subtract the correct LOPFI contribution for that employer and program.
- Subtract health insurance and other elected benefits.
- Apply federal and Arkansas withholding based on your household.
- Treat extra shifts as variable income unless the department describes them as scheduled compensation.
Rogers illustrates why this method matters: the verified FF/Paramedic starting salary is already $8,793 above FF/EMT before scheduled overtime or experience pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average firefighter salary in Arkansas?
The last directly verifiable BLS Arkansas OEWS table from May 2023 reported a mean of $42,150. Current city salaries can be higher, so use municipal pay schedules for 2026 job decisions.
How much does a Little Rock firefighter make?
The current Firefighter Recruit class specification lists $24.10–$35.11 per hour. The active recruitment bulletin should be used for the exact starting rate when hiring opens.
How much does a Fayetteville Arkansas firefighter make?
Fayetteville's 2026 candidate-pool posting lists $18.07–$24.82 per hour, with the firefighter class specification showing $52,619.84–$72,275.84 annually.
How much does a Fort Smith firefighter make?
Fort Smith currently lists $43,803 annually as starting pay.
How much does a Rogers firefighter make?
Rogers lists $49,631 for FF/EMT and $58,424 for FF/Paramedic, excluding scheduled overtime and experience pay.
Do Arkansas firefighters get a pension?
Many participate in LOPFI. In 2026, member contributions can be 3.5% or 9.5% under Benefit Program 1 depending on Social Security coverage, while Benefit Program 2 members contribute 9.5%.
Do firefighter paramedics make more in Arkansas?
Often they can. Rogers is a verified example, with FF/Paramedic starting $8,793 above FF/EMT.
Sources and Data Notes
- BLS Arkansas OEWS — May 2023.
- City of Little Rock Firefighter Recruit class specification.
- Fayetteville Fire Department hiring.
- Rogers Fire Department recruitment.
- Fort Smith Fire Department recruitment.
- Conway Fire Department.
- North Little Rock 2026 Firefighter posting.
- Jonesboro fire salary structure.
- Bentonville Fire Department employment.
- LOPFI Benefit Program 1 — 2026 and Benefit Program 2 — 2026.
Editorial note: Salary schedules can change during a budget year or hiring cycle. City figures were checked against public sources available September 8, 2026. Older figures are labeled with their effective year rather than silently presented as 2026 pay.
Interested in working as a firefighter in Arkansas? See our firefighter hiring process guide for requirements, testing, physical ability and academy basics.
Comments 0
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a Comment