What the numbers say
The median Software Developer in Arkansas earned $96,820 in 2024, roughly 30% below the national median of $138,520. That is a real gap. But Arkansas's cost of living runs about 12% below the US average, which closes it considerably. In purchasing-power terms, $96,820 here buys something closer to $109,600 in national-baseline dollars, narrowing the headline difference by about a third.
The spread between the bottom and top of the pay range is wide. Developers at the 10th percentile earned $55,030, while those at the 90th earned $160,700. Top earners in the state make nearly three times what entry-level peers do. That kind of range usually signals meaningful differences by seniority, job type, and whether someone works for a local employer or a remote-first company headquartered elsewhere.
Arkansas employed around 6,390 Software Developers in 2024. BLS projects the occupation to grow 15.8% nationally between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. We do not have a state-specific opening figure from the same projection series, so we cannot say whether Arkansas mirrors that pace exactly. The national number gives a reasonable reference point.
One thing worth noting: the mean wage of $100,380 runs about $3,500 above the median. That small gap suggests a modest pull from higher earners at the top, but it is not dramatic. The distribution is reasonably even by that measure.
Salary distribution
Where Arkansas software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $77,550 and $119,770, with a median of $96,820.
Software Developers in Arkansas: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $117,714. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 44 | $65,562 |
| Level II — qualified | 401 | $99,970 |
| Level III — experienced | 277 | $135,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 43 | $147,744 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Arkansas. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | Software Engineer III | 454 | $132,160 |
| J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. | Software Engineer III | 64 | $126,342 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | Software Developer | 28 | $102,875 |
| K Tek Soft Inc | Software Developer | 25 | $80,413 |
| ABCO COMPUTERS INC | Software Developer | 13 | $80,413 |
| Federal Soft Systems Inc. | Software Developer | 13 | $83,325 |
| UST Global Inc | SPECIALIST I - SOFTWARE ENGINEERING | 10 | $100,866 |
| MIRACLE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS, INC. | SOFTWARE ENGINEER | 10 | $102,742 |
| Ivorsource LLC | Programmer Analyst | 10 | $62,000 |
| Uber Freight US LLC | Sr. Software Engineer | 9 | $182,840 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Staff, Software Engineer at WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC.$141,633BENTONVILLEDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501599
- Software Developer at Oracle America, Inc.$102,274CentertonDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494486
- SPECIALIST I - SOFTWARE ENGINEERING at UST Global Inc$96,182BENTONVILLEDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490569
- Software Engineer at VIDHA IT SOLUTIONS LLC$92,000BentonvilleDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-492029
- Staff Software Engineer at WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC.$150,514BentonvilleDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490205
- Principal Consultant at Genpact LLC$139,320BentonvilleDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25351-489258
- MAINFRAME DEVELOPER at NXT IT LLC.$116,480BENTONVILLEDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-488259
- Technical Lead at Prodapt North America, Inc.$89,000Little RockDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-486747
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Software Developers pay by experience level in Arkansas
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Software Developers specialties in Arkansas
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 823 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $125,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 492 | $125,000 |
| Software Developer | K Tek Soft Inc | 187 | $83,325 |
| Data Engineer | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 43 | $123,065 |
| Senior Manager, Software Engineering | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 32 | $161,750 |
| Java Developer | NXT IT LLC. | 28 | $83,325 |
| Specialist I - Software Engineering | UST Global Inc | 10 | $98,673 |
| Quality Engineer | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 7 | $121,278 |
| DEVOPS ENGINEER | GLOBAL IT ASSOCIATES, LLC. | 6 | $83,338 |
| Technical Lead | Apex System Solutions LLC | 5 | $112,320 |
| Systems and Infrastructure Engineer | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 5 | $110,802 |
| Project Delivery Specialist | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 4 | $138,325 |
| .NET DEVELOPER | COVANT SOLUTIONS, INC. | 4 | $92,899 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Arkansas, by industry
Median offered wage across 999 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Retail and wholesale leads with a median of $132,160.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail and wholesale | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 462 | $132,160 |
| Technology and software | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 411 | $84,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. | 77 | $131,003 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 25 | $99,100 |
| Finance and insurance | USAble Mutual Insurance Company | 11 | $119,646 |
| Manufacturing | Tyson Foods, Inc. | 10 | $139,830 |
| Real estate | United Rentals Inc. | 2 | $122,778 |
| Government and public sector | State of Arkansas - Administrative Office of the Courts | 1 | $65,562 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Arkansas over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+15.8%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Arkansas?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Arkansas is $96,820.
- How does Arkansas compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Arkansas median is -30.1% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Arkansas?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $55,030 and the 90th-percentile at $160,700, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Software Developers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 15.8% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Software Developers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.