Quick answer: Arkansas employs about 3,550 chief executives (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare public administration programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in Arkansas
No state licenses public administrators as such. Hiring is governed by each government’s own civil service classification and posting requirements, and the degree - usually the MPA - satisfies the educational requirement attached to management and executive classifications. Certified public manager programs and ICMA credentialing stack on top of the degree.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 8 schools
within 126 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
8 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
University of Arkansas
📍
Fayetteville, AR
•115.9 miles away•BOC Score
70.7
Tuition$10,104 - $29,966
Contact
1125 W Maple St, Administration Bldg 425 Fayetteville, AR 72701
Chief Executives in Arkansas earn a median $119,990 per year, below the national median of $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Public Administration Pay and Employment in Arkansas at a Glance
Metric
Arkansas
National
Source
Median annual wage
$119,990
$213,990
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$49,830
$75,700
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$72,580
$129,540
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$196,800
$356,200
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$330,480
$507,730
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
3,550
204,350
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
2.07
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
4.3%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Arkansas Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Arkansas median of $119,990 sits below the national median of $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 2.07 puts Arkansas well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Government employment scales with government: county seats, state capitals and metros with many municipal governments carry the management and executive positions this degree targets.
Chief Executives Wages by Metro Area in Arkansas
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chief executives wages in Arkansas vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Memphis
680
$196,680
$254,350
$78,420
$459,580
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
670
$134,640
$222,760
$57,250
$570,080
Fort Smith
210
$114,550
$144,750
$55,070
$254,160
Jonesboro
140
$120,020
$158,450
$49,890
$330,180
Hot Springs
90
$119,990
$148,220
$50,550
$218,760
Texarkana
70
$161,180
$195,030
$81,220
$298,730
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
N/A
$129,490
$173,060
$52,770
$336,980
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do chief executives make in Arkansas?
The median annual wage for chief executives in Arkansas is $119,990, below the national median of $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $72,580 at the 25th percentile to $196,800 at the 75th.
How many chief executives work in Arkansas?
Arkansas holds about 3,550 public administrator jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 204,350, and BLS projects about 22,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a public administrator in Arkansas?
No state licenses public administrators as such. Hiring is governed by each government's own civil service classification and posting requirements, and the degree - usually the MPA - satisfies the educational requirement attached to management and executive classifications. Certified public manager programs and ICMA credentialing stack on top of the degree. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a public administration bachelor's or MPA online while working in Arkansas?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for.
What is the highest-paying area of Arkansas for chief executives?
Among Arkansas metro areas with published data, Fayetteville reports the highest median at $134,640 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Arkansas a good state for chief executives?
On pay, the state median of $119,990 sits below the national $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 2.07 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
