Healthcare AI Researcher.
Little Rock.
$179,000
median salary, 15% below the national average
$140,000 to $233,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Healthcare AI Researcher salary in Little Rock is $179,000, 15% below the national average. Entry level starts near $140,000. Experienced professionals push past $233,000. Little Rock's economy is driven by Walmart's nearby headquarters ecosystem, state government, healthcare, and logistics. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Healthcare AI Researcher in Little Rock, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. BLS does not publish this occupation for this metro area, so the national published benchmark is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $103,410 for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1042) across the United States, based on 172,340 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$64,800
25th percentile
$79,840
Median
$103,410
75th percentile
$139,380
90th percentile
$177,780
Workers surveyed
172,340
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$100,590
May 2025 release
$103,410
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $179,000 is 73% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists covers a different population than the Healthcare AI Researcher title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1042) rather than Healthcare AI Researcher specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 19-1042Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $161,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$116,000
to $143,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$152,000
to $188,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$197,000
to $233,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$224,000
to $277,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $53,000 to the total package.
Base
$179,000
Equity
$30,000
Bonus
$19,000
Signing
$4,000
Estimated total: $232,000
How Little Rock compares.
Little Rock, AR
$179,000
Cost of living: 18% below average
National Average
$210,000
Little Rock is $31,000 below
Healthcare AI Researcher salary by city.
Salary by role in Little Rock.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Healthcare AI Researcher offer in Little Rock, understand the terrain. Little Rock's economy is driven by Walmart's nearby headquarters ecosystem, state government, healthcare, and logistics. The metro's extremely low cost of living means even moderate salaries deliver strong purchasing power. Tech jobs are growing as companies seek affordable alternatives to major metros. Compensation reflects specialization depth, production deployment scale, and the maturity of the AI systems being built. Healthcare AI Researchers who have shipped models serving millions of users command the highest premiums. Employer type matters significantly: AI labs and foundation model companies pay 20% to 40% more than enterprises adopting AI for internal use.
Entry-level Healthcare AI Researchers start near $164,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $210,000 to $273,000. Senior-level roles command $269,000 to $326,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $347,000 and above. In Little Rock, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 18% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. And on the tax side: arkansas has a top income tax rate of 4.4%. Little Rock has no city income tax. The combination of low taxes and very affordable housing creates one of the best net pay environments in the country. When someone quotes you $179,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Walmart and Tyson ecosystem when negotiating. Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock employers benchmark against national corporate pay scales. The range for Healthcare AI Researchers in Little Rock runs from $140,000 to $233,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Healthcare AI Researcher salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Little Rock.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Healthcare AI Researcher Salary in Little Rock, AR." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/healthcare-ai-researcher/little-rock
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