Expert Validation Engineer salary in Fort Smith, AR
Based on 18 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area, FY2025–FY2026.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $100,000 |
| 25th | $130,000 |
| 50th (median) | $135,000 |
| 75th | $140,000 |
| 90th | $146,500 |
Cost of living
Fort Smith's median expert Validation Engineer salary of $135,000 is worth about $157,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Fort Smith = 85.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Validation Engineers in the Fort Smith, AR area earned a median of $79,890 in May 2025 (50 employed). The H-1B median here is $135,000, 69% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| ArcBest Technologies | $135,000 | 17 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,000 | 18 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expert · Level IV | $97,136 | $135,000 | 18 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.