.NET Developer Salary in Little Rock: $70,000-$120,000 (2026)

Little Rock's cost of living index (~88) meaningfully boosts purchasing power for a . NET developer earning around $92k.

Housing is the largest driver: a one-bedroom apartment in downtown averages $900–1,100/month while family homes' median prices sit near $210k—well below national metros. Commuting is inexpensive for most: average one-way commute times are 20–25 minutes, fuel and insurance costs are near or below national averages, and public transit options are limited so most developers budget for a car.

Everyday expenses (groceries, utilities, dining out) are typically 7–12% cheaper than the U. S.

average. For a mid-level .

NET dev, lower housing and commute costs mean more disposable income for savings, student loan repayment, or child care compared with a similar nominal salary in a coastal market. However, specialized services (niche developer meetups, certain enterprise training) may require travel to regional hubs.

Salaries reflect a balance between solid local demand and a limited supply of large enterprise tech employers. Healthcare organizations (UAMS, Arkansas Children’s) and Medicaid/insurance-related vendors contribute steady demand for .

NET expertise on EHR integrations, backend services, and interfacing with state systems. Telecom and managed services companies such as Windstream have established engineering teams that hire full-stack and backend .

NET developers for API, middleware, and legacy modernization work. Retail and marketing data firms (Acxiom/LiveRamp regionally) and regional corporate HQs drive integration and data processing needs.

Wage pressure is moderated by a relatively lower cost of living and the availability of remote roles—companies often recruit for hybrid or remote positions, capping local salary growth. Large cloud modernization projects and government contracts occasionally push salaries above local averages for specialized senior engineers with cloud/.

NET Core and containerization experience.

Compared with nearby metros, Little Rock is cost-competitive. Bentonville/Fayetteville (NW Arkansas) often pays ~8–10% more for senior .

NET roles due to large retail HQs (Walmart/John Deere suppliers) and a tighter market for experienced engineers; its COL is slightly higher (index ~95). Memphis offers similar salaries but slightly higher COL (~90) and larger enterprise opportunities in logistics and healthcare.

Tulsa's market pays comparably or slightly lower but has a very similar COL. Commuting into Bentonville/Fayetteville daily from Little Rock is impractical (4+ hours), but hybrid relocation or remote work for Bentonville-based roles is common.

For Little Rock . NET developers, relocating makes sense for a sustained 10–20% pay uplift or for rapid career moves into product engineering at larger tech employers.

Otherwise, remote roles can deliver higher pay without relocation, though competition is greater.

Typical progression: entry (0–2 years) → mid (3–7 years) → senior (8+ years). Entry-level hires focus on maintenance, bug fixes, and smaller feature work on .

NET Framework/ASP. NET applications—expect 1–2 years to reach solid intermediate competence.

Mid-level engineers who master . NET Core, REST API design, and cloud basics (Azure preferred locally) typically move to ownership of services and mentoring within 3–5 years.

Senior roles require broad architecture experience, cloud-native migrations, CI/CD, and team leadership—8+ years is common but can accelerate if you lead a successful modernization or deliver measurable ROI on a cloud migration. Ways to accelerate locally: obtain Azure certifications, contribute to cross-department integration projects (healthcare/insurance), build demonstrable microservices/migration experience, or move into product-oriented roles for Bentonville-area employers.

Contracting/consulting can also jump compensation earlier but may reduce benefits stability.

When negotiating, anchor offers against local ranges: $60k–70k for junior, $80k–95k for mid, and $100k–125k+ for senior candidates depending on cloud and architecture experience. Emphasize Azure, .

NET Core/5+/6+, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and experience with healthcare or government integrations to justify premium pay. Ask explicitly about remote/hybrid flexibility—many firms will trade higher remote pay for local in-office presence.

Common benefits that can be negotiated: signing bonuses (especially for senior hires), pro-rated stock or RSUs at larger employers (Bentonville ties), professional development stipends, additional PTO, and flexible schedules. Cultural notes: local hiring managers value demonstrated reliability, clear examples of cross-team collaboration, and pragmatic problem-solving over academic credentials.

For government or healthcare roles, highlight compliance experience (HIPAA, state contracts) to secure higher pay bands.