Arkansas / AR Public Defender Commission / Public Defender III

Job-title file

Public Defender III

Carry out the duties of this position in support of the agency's public mission.

69 employees hold this title in AR Public Defender Commission. Median total compensation for the role is $114,390, above the department median of $59,625.

Employees: 69
Total payroll: $6.4M
Role median: $114,390
Agency median: $59,625
Comparison: Above

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$29,362$127,798+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 69 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compared with the local labor market

Public Defender III pay vs. Arkansas

Across all employers in Arkansas, the median wage for Lawyers — about 3,430 people — is $98,880. AR Public Defender Commission pays a median base salary of $59,625 for this role, 40% below that figure — about the 17th percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where AR Public Defender Commission sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$49,900

$69,470

$98,880

$132,490

$220,660

AR Public Defender Commission median · $59,625

The bar is the range of annual wages for Lawyers across every employer in Arkansas, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows AR Public Defender Commission’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

And across the country

Nationwide, the median wage for Lawyers — about 754,500 people — is $159,670. AR Public Defender Commission’s median base salary is 63% below that national figure, below the 10th percentile of pay for the occupation nationally.

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$78,360

$102,990

$159,670

$221,370

$351,600

AR Public Defender Commission median · $59,625

Local and national wages differ for reasons beyond how well a job pays — cost of living, the mix of employers, and local demand for the occupation all move the Arkansas range relative to the national one.

Computed over the 235 of 236 people in this role paid at least $25,000in base salary. The rest are part-year or part-time records, whose actual pay isn’t comparable to a full-time annual wage.

Median total compensation for this role at AR Public Defender Commission is $59,625, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Compare jurisdictions

Public Defender beyond Arkansas

This role is reported in 3 jurisdictions. In Arkansas, the median of $59,625 ranks #3 of 3. See Public Defender across all of Arkansas →

Highest-paying jurisdictions for this role

Florida

$223,318 · 18

Tennessee

$217,056 · 30

Median total compensation for comparable Public Defenderroles in other jurisdictions. Titles are matched by normalized name across sources, not identical job classification, and pay is not cost-of-living adjusted. Each bar links to that jurisdiction’s page for the role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Margaret Egan

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$117,449

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $117,449
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $117,449
Hire date: 06-03-2024
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095128

Margaret Egan works as a Public Defender III for AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 06-03-2024. Margaret earned $117,449 in 2026. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Kenneth Warford

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$116,699

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $116,699
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $116,699
Hire date: 04-12-1997
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095127

At AR Public Defender Commission, Kenneth Warford serves as a Public Defender III within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 04-12-1997. Their 2026 pay totaled $116,699. They are classified at grade Spc08.

Joseph Iii

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$115,826

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $115,826
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,826
Hire date: 08-20-2001
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095134

Joseph Iii holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 08-20-2001. In 2026, their total compensation was $115,826. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Caren Harp

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 01-10-2018
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22184482

Caren Harp works as a Public Defender III for AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 01-10-2018. Caren earned $114,390 in 2026. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Tisha Martin

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 05-21-2017
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095083

Tisha Martin holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 05-21-2017. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Arron Glass

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 02-11-2018
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095102

Arron Glass holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 02-11-2018. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Tonia Acker

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 11-27-2023
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22162546

At AR Public Defender Commission, Tonia Acker serves as a Public Defender III within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 11-27-2023. Their 2026 pay totaled $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

William Snowden

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 07-04-2024
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095085

William Snowden is a Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 07-04-2024. 2026 total compensation came to $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

Andrew Best

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 08-11-2000
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22168738

Andrew Best holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 08-11-2000. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Jill Irwin

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 09-18-2006
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22181898

Jill Irwin is a Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 09-18-2006. 2026 total compensation came to $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

Billy Hubbell

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 11-11-2022
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22179437

Billy Hubbell is a Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 11-11-2022. 2026 total compensation came to $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

Christen Carter

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 01-25-2021
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095100

Christen Carter holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 01-25-2021. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Patrick Flake

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 02-10-2014
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095066

Patrick Flake holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 02-10-2014. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Jordan Compton

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 07-05-2016
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22164324

Jordan Compton works as a Public Defender III for AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 07-05-2016. Jordan earned $114,390 in 2026. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Rena Wright

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 07-30-2017
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095109

Rena Wright holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 07-30-2017. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.

Jason Ables

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 03-26-2012
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22079295

Jason Ables is a Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 03-26-2012. 2026 total compensation came to $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

Paul Teufel

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 11-26-2000
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095138

Paul Teufel is a Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 11-26-2000. 2026 total compensation came to $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

Christina Scherrey

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 01-08-2007
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22177329

At AR Public Defender Commission, Christina Scherrey serves as a Public Defender III within Specialized Services. Records show a hire date of 01-08-2007. Their 2026 pay totaled $114,390. They are classified at grade Spc08.

William Dunham

Public Defender III/AR Public Defender Commission

2026 total comp

$114,390

Sub-department: Specialized Services
Base pay: $114,390
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,390
Hire date: 10-08-2018
Pay grade: Spc08
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Job Classification Code: LPD05P
Pay Scale Type: Classified
Position Number: 22095060

William Dunham holds the role of Public Defender III at AR Public Defender Commission within Specialized Services. Their hire date on record is 10-08-2018. In 2026, their total compensation was $114,390. Their pay grade is Spc08.