Arkansas (AR)
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H1BIndex State Grade
i
B
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
Total State Visa Volume i
509
Filings in FY 2026
Median State Salary i
$116,996
Standard yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$111,146
Adjusted for Cost of Living
USCIS Approval Rate i
99.4%
Official Adjudication
State Economic & Immigration Overview
An automated macro-level review of Arkansas's tech ecosystem.Overall Arkansas Rating
Federal records show 509 total work visa filings for Arkansas. When we look at local wages and job availability, the region gets an official H1B Index Rating of "B".
High Talent Transfers
The job market in Arkansas is highly competitive. Approximately 67.9% of filings aggressively recruit professionals who already hold visas at rival companies.
Actual Take-Home Value
While the $116,996 median pay is competitive, local deductions apply. Factoring in the 5.0% state income tax and regional pricing, professionals realize a true spending power of about $111,146.
High Approval Chances
Employers in Arkansas enjoy a strong 99.4% visa approval rate. On top of that, businesses here applied for 150 Green Cards to keep their international staff long-term.
Seniority Focused
This state strongly utilizes seasoned expertise. Federal tracking confirms that 46.4% of the labor market here operates strictly at higher, senior wage tiers.
Biggest Job Market
Most of the businesses sponsoring visas in Arkansas are based in Bentonville. This regional hiring is strongly driven by the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Clean Layoff Record
No Reported Layoffs: Every company applying for visas in Arkansas maintains a perfect record with 0% staff reductions.
Top Metro Hubs in Arkansas
Hiring volume across major cities mapped against the state baseline compensation rate of $116,996.Talent Sourcing Pipeline
Are companies hiring fresh talent or poaching from competitors?Fresh Hires (32.1%)Corporate Poaching (67.9%)
State Wage Premium
$33,546
Above Legal Minimum
On average, employers in Arkansas offer salaries that are $33,546 higher than the baseline prevailing wage required by the Department of Labor.
10-Year Salary Trends
Comparing state-level base compensation growth for temporary H-1B visas versus permanent Green Cards (PERM). Upward Pay Trend: +73.2%. Employers pay noticeably more across this state today compared to past years.
Lower Wage: -$12,126. Surprisingly, permanent jobs in 2026 actually pay 10.5% less than temporary contracts in this state.
Top Hiring Employers
Companies sponsoring the most visas in this state.
Company & Median Pay
Total Approvals
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers across the state.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 52 | 10.2% | $42,290 | $60,979 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 219 | 43.0% | $48,455 | $101,000 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 175 | 34.4% | $45,000 | $137,216 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 61 | 12.0% | $62,961 | $145,670 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 2 | 0.4% | $99,873 | $99,873 |
Geographic Deployment & Worksites
The top locations where state employers place their workers.| City/Metro Area | Workforce % | City Median Pay | Wage (Level IV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentonville, AR | 49.3% (251 Filings) | $121,547 | 14.3% |
| Lowell, AR | 17.1% (87 Filings) | $126,384 | 0.0% |
| Little Rock, AR | 8.6% (44 Filings) | $85,000 | 13.6% |
| Rogers, AR | 5.9% (30 Filings) | $98,310 | 13.3% |
| Centerton, AR | 3.9% (20 Filings) | $100,687 | 25.0% |
| Fayetteville, AR | 2.0% (10 Filings) | $78,658 | 0.0% |
| Springdale, AR | 1.8% (9 Filings) | $64,938 | 22.2% |
| North Little Rock, AR | 1.4% (7 Filings) | $64,813 | 14.3% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 1.2% (6 Filings) | $78,084 | 33.3% |
| Conway, AR | 1.2% (6 Filings) | $70,995 | 0.0% |
| Pine Bluff, AR | 1.0% (5 Filings) | $62,254 | 0.0% |
| Siloam Springs, AR | 0.8% (4 Filings) | $148,433 | 50.0% |
| Blytheville, AR | 0.6% (3 Filings) | $62,150 | 0.0% |
| Russellville, AR | 0.6% (3 Filings) | $62,275 | 0.0% |
| Osceola, AR | 0.6% (3 Filings) | $99,549 | 0.0% |
| West Memphis, AR | 0.4% (2 Filings) | $71,614 | 0.0% |
| Sherwood, AR | 0.4% (2 Filings) | $57,803 | 0.0% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 0.4% (2 Filings) | $65,686 | 0.0% |
| Nashville, AR | 0.4% (2 Filings) | $160,000 | 50.0% |
| El Dorado, AR | 0.4% (2 Filings) | $109,450 | 50.0% |
| Bentoville, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $163,200 | 0.0% |
| England, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $75,000 | 0.0% |
| Batesville, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $347,360 | 0.0% |
| Jefferson, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $79,363 | 0.0% |
| Hamburg, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $50,500 | 0.0% |
| Monticello, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $62,962 | 100.0% |
| Mountain Home, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $0 | 0.0% |
| Pea Ridge, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $100,610 | 0.0% |
| Maumelle, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $91,520 | 0.0% |
| Pocahontas, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $64,022 | 0.0% |
| Van Buren, AR | 0.2% (1 Filings) | $125,367 | 0.0% |
Most Poached Roles
Roles with the highest volume of H-1B transfers, indicating aggressive headhunting.
Role & Transfer Pay
Total Transferred
Dominant Industries
Distribution of cases by broad industry sector.33.2%
25.7%
20.4%
8.6%
4.5%
Historical Retention Rate
Year-over-year percentage of successful visa renewals and extensions.Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.
End Client & Placement Data
Total Approvals
Highest Compensation Roles i
Top positions ranked by median base pay.
Role & Market Data
Median Base
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.
Law Firm & Market Data
Total Approvals
Visa Volume & Success
-89.1% YoY Decline
LCA approvals, denials, and overall certification rates.
USCIS Petition Processing
New vs. Renewed approvals and denials in the state.Green Card Sponsorships
PERM residency applications and median GC wages.Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employers Matrix
A detailed ledger of all corporate clients operating in Arkansas.| Sponsoring Employer | Market Share | LCA Count | Median Salary | Vs State Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wal-Mart Associates, Inc. | 24.8% | 126 | $143,013 | +22.2% Avg |
| J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. | 15.5% | 79 | $126,500 | +8.1% Avg |
| University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences | 3.1% | 16 | $61,008 | -47.9% Avg |
| Compunnel Software Group, Inc. | 2.8% | 14 | $101,000 | -13.7% Avg |
| Little Scholars Of Arkansas | 2.4% | 12 | $45,980 | -60.7% Avg |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp. | 1.8% | 9 | $76,482 | -34.6% Avg |
| Ust Global Inc. | 1.8% | 9 | $100,589 | -14.0% Avg |
| Skilltune Technologies Inc. | 1.6% | 8 | $111,880 | -4.4% Avg |
| Federal Soft Systems Inc. | 1.2% | 6 | $83,325 | -28.8% Avg |
| Infosys Limited | 1.2% | 6 | $60,000 | -48.7% Avg |
| University Of Arkansas System Division Of Agriculture | 1.0% | 5 | $99,181 | -15.2% Avg |
| University Of Arkansas | 1.0% | 5 | $54,912 | -53.1% Avg |
| Invincible Tech Systems Inc. | 1.0% | 5 | $83,325 | -28.8% Avg |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | 1.0% | 5 | $76,482 | -34.6% Avg |
| Accenture LLP | 0.8% | 4 | $127,350 | +8.8% Avg |
| Jefferson Hospital Association, Inc. | 0.8% | 4 | $61,495 | -47.4% Avg |
| Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc. | 0.8% | 4 | $148,433 | +26.9% Avg |
| The Jones Center For Families, Inc. | 0.8% | 4 | $64,938 | -44.5% Avg |
| Hcl Global Systems Inc. | 0.6% | 3 | $109,283 | -6.6% Avg |
| Americold Logistics LLC | 0.6% | 3 | $62,275 | -46.8% Avg |
| Oracle America, Inc. | 0.6% | 3 | $102,274 | -12.6% Avg |
| Tyson Foods, Inc. | 0.6% | 3 | $145,000 | +23.9% Avg |
| Southern Illinois Medical Services | 0.6% | 3 | $144,352 | +23.4% Avg |
| Mississippi County Hospital System | 0.6% | 3 | $62,150 | -46.9% Avg |
| J. B. Hunt Transport, Inc. | 0.6% | 3 | $116,500 | Market Rate |
| Humana Inc. | 0.6% | 3 | $137,000 | +17.1% Avg |
| Cohesity, Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $113,131 | -3.3% Avg |
| Capgemini America Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $106,055 | -9.4% Avg |
| Bmr Infotek, Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $104,000 | -11.1% Avg |
| Arkansas State University | 0.4% | 2 | $65,686 | -43.9% Avg |
| Baptist Health | 0.4% | 2 | $51,938 | -55.6% Avg |
| Arkansas Health Group | 0.4% | 2 | $285,000 | +143.6% Avg |
| Ahtap LLC | 0.4% | 2 | $96,000 | -17.9% Avg |
| Oreilly Technology Services, Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $141,075 | +20.6% Avg |
| Neni Techsystems Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $112,625 | -3.7% Avg |
| Paynearme, Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $164,000 | +40.2% Avg |
| Info Keys Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $76,004 | -35.0% Avg |
| Hendrix College | 0.4% | 2 | $58,000 | -50.4% Avg |
| Solum America, Inc. | 0.4% | 2 | $89,253 | -23.7% Avg |
| Pro Care Innovations | 0.4% | 2 | $45,000 | -61.5% Avg |
Complete Jobs Matrix
The job titles most frequently sponsored in this state.| Job Title in State | LCA Count | Median Pay | Salary Variance | Legal Wage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer Iii | 65 | $121,250 | $72,053 Range | +$37,925 Over Min |
| Senior Software Engineer | 58 | $137,560 | $90,805 Range | +$35,286 Over Min |
| Software Developer | 40 | $84,000 | $37,897 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Staff Software Engineer | 14 | $151,870 | $47,158 Range | +$49,596 Over Min |
| Software Engineer | 12 | $107,630 | $73,000 Range | +$5,356 Over Min |
| Assistant Professor | 11 | $99,181 | $177,274 Range | +$18,435 Over Min |
| Computer Programmer | 10 | $101,000 | $67,585 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Medical Technologist | 9 | $62,254 | $16,203 Range | +$9,464 Over Min |
| Java Developer | 5 | $83,325 | $17,675 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Math Teacher | 4 | $46,380 | $4,290 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Science Teacher | 4 | $42,920 | $1,830 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Staff, Software Engineer | 4 | $153,443 | $21,567 Range | +$51,169 Over Min |
| Senior Manager, Advanced Analytics | 4 | $138,670 | $15,243 Range | +$25,081 Over Min |
| Psychiatrist | 4 | $144,352 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Manager, Operations | 4 | $150,000 | $19,000 Range | +$47,726 Over Min |
| Senior Software Developer | 4 | $96,000 | $39,000 Range | +$12,675 Over Min |
| Senior Manager, Data Analytics | 4 | $154,702 | $48,910 Range | +$41,112 Over Min |
| Senior Associate Jc60 -Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 3 | $60,000 | Fixed Pay | +$1,906 Over Min |
| Product Manager Iii | 3 | $167,567 | $73,010 Range | +$109,473 Over Min |
| Data Engineer | 3 | $83,990 | $12,067 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Data Analyst | 3 | $51,938 | $23,587 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Devops Engineer | 3 | $105,000 | $24,650 Range | +$21,675 Over Min |
| Director, Data Science | 3 | $192,507 | $67,508 Range | +$59,886 Over Min |
| Senior Manager, Data Science | 3 | $206,000 | $106,138 Range | +$92,411 Over Min |
| Senior Data Engineer | 3 | $132,600 | $11,167 Range | +$30,326 Over Min |
| Senior Data Analyst | 3 | $142,530 | $16,515 Range | +$28,941 Over Min |
| Senior, Software Engineer | 3 | $131,250 | $21,535 Range | +$28,976 Over Min |
| Sustainability Engineer | 3 | $64,938 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Technical Lead | 3 | $76,482 | $18,200 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Specialist I - Software Engineering | 3 | $96,182 | $11,090 Range | +$12,857 Over Min |
| Senior Manager, Product Management | 3 | $169,479 | $6,903 Range | +$74,610 Over Min |
| Programmer Analyst | 2 | $89,774 | $30,453 Range | +$20,312 Over Min |
| Research Assistant | 2 | $46,888 | $3,135 Range | +$4,248 Over Min |
| Automation Systems Analyst | 2 | $62,275 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Manager Jc50 - Information Technology Project Managers | 2 | $76,482 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Full Stack .Net Developer | 2 | $92,799 | $18,949 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | 2 | $61,218 | $420 Range | +$14,626 Over Min |
| Mechanical Engineer | 2 | $71,614 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Production Engineer 6Xbu | 2 | $87,500 | $5,000 Range | +$3,842 Over Min |
| Senior Manager, Software Engineering | 2 | $218,936 | Fixed Pay | +$116,662 Over Min |
Historical Compensation Ledger
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Top-Heavy Skew i | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $320,000 | $116,006 | -6.1% Skew | $24.00/hr |
| 2025 | +6.4% | $384,000 | $117,000 | Balanced | $20.00/hr |
| 2024 | +11.7% | $400,000 | $110,011 | Balanced | $16.00/hr |
| 2023 | +4.7% | $400,000 | $98,488 | Balanced | $18.00/hr |
| 2022 | +5.6% | $400,000 | $94,100 | Balanced | $15.00/hr |
| 2021 | +17.2% | $400,000 | $89,095 | Balanced | $18.00/hr |
| 2020 | -0.7% | $374,200 | $76,000 | +9.3% Skew | $12.00/hr |
| 2019 | +1.3% | $385,000 | $76,523 | Balanced | $17.00/hr |
| 2018 | +7.9% | $380,000 | $75,559 | +7.0% Skew | $17.00/hr |
| 2017 | +4.5% | $400,000 | $70,000 | +11.1% Skew | $8.00/hr |
| 2016 | N/A | $375,000 | $66,973 | +9.3% Skew | $10.00/hr |
Recent Visa Filings (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures processed in this state.State Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights regarding Arkansas.What is the biggest hiring sector in Arkansas?
The Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services sector represents the biggest sponsor, making up 33.2% of all local visa requests.
Is it easy to get Green Card sponsorship in Arkansas?
There is an active pathway to permanent residency here. Employers recently submitted 150 PERM applications, establishing a 29.5% Green Card rate.
How much state tax will I pay on an H-1B salary in Arkansas?
In Arkansas, state taxes sit around 5.0%. For a professional earning the $116,996 median, expect roughly $5,850 in state deductions.
What is the highest-paying area for H-1B visas in Arkansas?
Bentonville represents the top-paying metro area in the state, where H-1B salaries reach a local median of $121,547.