Operations Manager.
Little Rock.
$78,000
median salary, 15% below the national average
$60,000 to $102,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating an Operations Manager offer in Little Rock, AR, here is the reality: $60,000 to $102,000, with $78,000 as the midpoint. 15% below the national average. Industry, scope of operations (regional vs. Do not accept the first number. 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 Operations Manager in Little Rock, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $76,080 for General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021) in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan area, based on 9,330 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$36,910
25th percentile
$51,630
Median
$76,080
75th percentile
$119,880
90th percentile
$174,530
Workers surveyed
9,330
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021) rather than Operations Manager specifically. The Little Rock 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 11-1021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $70,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$51,000
to $62,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$66,000
to $82,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$86,000
to $101,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$98,000
to $121,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $23,000 to the total package.
Base
$78,000
Equity
$13,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $101,000
How Little Rock compares.
Little Rock, AR
$78,000
Cost of living: 18% below average
National Average
$92,000
Little Rock is $14,000 below
Operations Manager salary by city.
Salary by role in Little Rock.
What you should know.
Here is what the Operations Manager market actually looks like in Little Rock. 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. Industry, scope of operations (regional vs. national), and P&L responsibility are the largest factors. Operations managers in technology, logistics, and healthcare earn more than those in retail or hospitality. Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or large scale process automation directly correlates with higher compensation.
Operations coordinators start at $45,000 to $60,000, advancing to operations manager at $80,000 to $110,000 in three to five years. Senior operations managers earn $110,000 to $145,000. Directors of Operations reach $145,000 to $200,000, and VP/COO roles at mid to large companies can exceed $250,000. 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. Bonuses of 10 to 20% tied to efficiency metrics, cost savings, or throughput targets are standard. Profit sharing arrangements are common in manufacturing and logistics. Equity is available at tech companies. Benefits often include vehicle allowances and relocation packages for multi site responsibilities. 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 $78,000, 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 Operations Managers in Little Rock runs from $60,000 to $102,000. 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.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Operations Manager Salary in Little Rock, AR." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/operations-manager/little-rock
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