SBA Lenders in Arkansas
Top lenders ranked by real SBA lending data. See who's most active in Arkansas across deal count, loan size, and pricing.
What Borrowers Should Know
Arkansas lenders charge 50 basis points less than the national median—your 7(a) loan will cost roughly 0.5% less per year. With a median spread of P+2.25% versus the national P+2.75%, a $500K loan saves you approximately $2,500 annually in interest. This favorable pricing suggests strong competition among Arkansas's 105 active lenders, which means you have real negotiating power.
U.S. Bank dominates with 371 deals (19% of the state's volume), but the market isn't concentrated—the top 5 lenders control only about 60% of deals. This distribution matters: it means you're not locked into big banks. Smaller players like Rural Missouri, Inc. (121 deals) and First Service Bank (144 deals) are actively competing, giving you realistic alternatives if a large lender declines or moves slowly.
Arkansas's average deal size of $532K is close to the national norm, but your state has only 1,958 total SBA deals across $1.04B in volume—a relatively modest market. If your loan request is significantly smaller than $500K, you may face underwriter hesitation due to processing costs relative to loan size. Conversely, if you need $600K+, lenders here have less experience at the higher end, which could slow approval timelines.
Total SBA Loans
1,959
Active Lenders
102
Avg Deal Size
$533K
Total Volume
$1.0B
Top 10 Lenders in Arkansas
Ranked by total deal count across all SBA programs.
| # | Lender | Type | Deals | Avg Size | Spread | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Bank, National Association | Bank | 371 | $55K | P + 2.99%ABOVE AVG | |
| 2 | ACC Capital | Bank | 201 | $462K | P + 2.75%AVERAGE | |
| 3 | First Service Bank | Bank | 144 | $624K | P + 1.58%GOOD | |
| 4 | Regions Bank | Bank | 126 | $749K | P + 2.11%GOOD | |
| 5 | Rural Missouri, Inc. | CDC/504 | 121 | $889K | — | |
| 6 | Bank OZK | Bank | 119 | $692K | P + 2.00%GOOD | |
| 7 | FNBC Bank | Bank | 118 | $337K | P + 2.13%GOOD | |
| 8 | Centennial Bank | Bank | 88 | $373K | P + 2.75%AVERAGE | |
| 9 | First Community Bank | Bank | 65 | $180K | P + 2.50%AVERAGE | |
| 10 | Citizens Bank, National Association | Bank | 53 | $594K | P + 1.88%GOOD |
Top Industries in Arkansas
SBA lending activity by industry segment.