Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Nursing Assistant Salary in Little Rock, AR

Nursing Assistants in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area earn a median $35,370 a year — 16% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,433 take-home, or $2,453 a month.

Median salary
$35,370
$17.00 per hour
Typical range
$29,460 – $44,480
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Little Rock, AR
5,250
1.57× national concentration
▼0.7%
Pay trend: The median for nursing assistants in Little Rock, AR fell from $35,630 (May 2024) to $35,370 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 3.1%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median nursing assistant salary in Little Rock, AR. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Nursing Assistant in Little Rock, AR
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$29,433
per year · effective tax rate 16.8%
$2,453Monthly
$1,226Twice a month
$1,132Every 2 weeks
$14.15Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,064
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,193
  • Medicare (1.45%)$513
  • Arkansas income tax$1,167
  • Take-home pay$29,433

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.90% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Nursing Assistant pay by experience in Little Rock, AR

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$29,460$14.16$24,915$2,076
25th percentile$31,200$15.00$26,245$2,187
Median (50th)$35,370$17.00$29,433$2,453
75th percentile$36,740$17.66$30,480$2,540
90th percentile (top earners)$44,480$21.38$36,398$3,033

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Arkansas resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $35,370 buys in Little Rock, AR

Prices in Little Rock, AR are 10.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 32% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median nursing assistant's $29,433 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,936 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$984
40% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,143
47% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,469
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Little Rock, AR has 1.6× the national concentration of nursing assistant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for nursing assistants, adjusted for cost of living

Little Rock, AR ranks #93 of 113 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $56,840$45,652$41,343
2Spokane, WA $47,240$40,137$39,999
3Des Moines, IA $43,940$36,468$39,768
4Seattle, WA $51,990$43,954$39,551
5San Francisco, CA $56,080$45,097$39,007
6Milwaukee, WI $45,690$37,663$38,853
7Scranton, PA $43,980$36,168$38,659
8Las Vegas, NV $45,350$38,619$38,536
93Little Rock, AR$35,370$29,433$32,936

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 113 metros →

About the job: nursing assistants

Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks.

Typical education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+2.6% (about average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a nursing assistant make in Little Rock, AR?

The median nursing assistant salary in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area is $35,370 a year, or about $17.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $31,200 and $36,740.

What is a nursing assistant’s take-home pay in Little Rock, AR?

On the median $35,370 salary, a single filer living in Arkansas takes home about $29,433 a year ($2,453 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,167 in Arkansas taxes in 2026.

Is Little Rock, AR a good place to work as a nursing assistant?

Pay here is 16% below the national median of $42,260. Local prices are 10.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,936 would in a typical U.S. city. Little Rock, AR ranks #93 of 113 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Little Rock, AR?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Little Rock, AR is $984 a month ($1,143 for two bedrooms) — 40% of a median nursing assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Little Rock, AR →