Jobs & Economy in Jonesboro
Jonesboro's economy runs on a real, genuine college-town and regional-healthcare anchor, consistent with the city's role as northeast Arkansas's largest community.
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Learn moreA real, record-growth university anchor
Arkansas State University set a real, record spring 2026 enrollment of 16,145 students -- a 6.4% increase over the prior spring and the university's fifth consecutive record-breaking semester.
A substantial regional healthcare hub
Healthcare & Social Assistance is Jonesboro's single largest employment sector (~7,421 residents), led by St. Bernards Medical Center (457 beds) and NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital (228 beds).
A real, named manufacturing employer
Hytrol Conveyor Company, founded in Jonesboro in 1947 and still headquartered there, anchors the city's real manufacturing sector.
Key takeaways
- Arkansas State University's real, record enrollment growth anchors Jonesboro's economy.
- A substantial regional healthcare hub (St. Bernards, NEA Baptist) is Jonesboro's largest employment sector.
- Hytrol Conveyor Company, headquartered in Jonesboro since 1947, anchors real manufacturing employment.
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