Salary guide, May 2025

Food Process Operator pay in Fort Smith, AR-OK

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The median annual wage for Food Processing Workers, All Other in Fort Smith, AR-OK was $43,160 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $38,460 and $47,190.

The Fort Smith, AR-OK median is $3,480 above the national median of $39,680, both from BLS May 2025.

Broader occupation · SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other

The Food Process Operator title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.

What should you know about fort Smith, AR-OK?

Food Processing Workers, All Other in Fort Smith, AR-OK: median $43,160; published 25th to 75th percentile $38,460 to $47,190.

Annual wage percentiles, Fort Smith, AR-OK
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$35,140	$38,460	$43,160	$47,190	$47,190

Food Processing Workers, All Other in Fort Smith, AR-OK: median $20.75; published 25th to 75th percentile $18.49 to $22.69.

Hourly wage percentiles, Fort Smith, AR-OK
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$16.90	$18.49	$20.75	$22.69	$22.69

BLS estimated 230 workers employed in this occupation in Fort Smith, AR-OK. Location quotient: 5.67.

What should you know about united States?

Food Processing Workers, All Other in U.S.: median $39,680; published 25th to 75th percentile $36,410 to $44,130.

Annual wage percentiles, U.S.
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$32,210	$36,410	$39,680	$44,130	$47,950

Food Processing Workers, All Other in U.S.: median $19.08; published 25th to 75th percentile $17.51 to $21.22.

Hourly wage percentiles, U.S.
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$15.49	$17.51	$19.08	$21.22	$23.05

What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?

The published Food Process Operator median is $43,160. The all-occupations median in Fort Smith, AR-OK is $39,560. Ratio: 1.09 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 5.67 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.

What should you know about two BLS releases?

Food Process Operator in Fort Smith, AR-OK, annual wages, May 2024 and May 2025
Release period	25th	Median	75th
May 2024	$36,490	$41,840	$45,740
May 2025	$38,460	$43,160	$47,190

These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other, Fort Smith, AR-OK. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.

What should you know about nearby areas?

Nearby areas, Food Process Operator
Area	Median	25th to 75th
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	$38,460	$38,020 to $45,870
Tulsa, OK	$37,760	$36,970 to $38,830

All roles in Fort Smith, AR-OK · National page · Food Process Operator ranked across metros