Lending data
Who actually lends to professional services firms in Arkansas?
78 SBA 7(a) loans went to professional services firms in Arkansas recently, at a median of $139,400. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
78 SBA 7(a) loans went to professional services firms in Arkansas in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $139,400 over 10 years. The most active lender was Readycap Lending, LLC, with 6 loans.
What lending to professional services firms in Arkansas actually looks like
Every figure on this page is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30. It reflects loans that were actually approved, not rate cards or advertised ranges.
| Measure | Professional and technical services, Arkansas | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 78 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $139,400 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $64,950 - $373,750 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.25% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 26.9% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 5.0% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to professional services firms in Arkansas. This is the list worth working from, because a lender that has funded dozens of businesses like yours in your state has seen your file before.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 6 | $50,000 | 0% | 14.00% |
| Northeast Bank | 6 | $83,750 | 0% | 11.25% |
| Southern Bancorp Bank | 5 | $69,000 | 0% | 8.50% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 4 | $150,000 | 0% | 10.62% |
| Arvest Bank | 4 | $356,300 | 75% | 8.43% |
| Regions Bank | 4 | $420,700 | 0% | 8.19% |
| ACC Capital | 4 | $154,000 | 0% | 11.25% |
| FNBC Bank | 4 | $188,250 | 100% | 10.25% |
| U.S. Bank | 4 | $30,000 | 0% | 10.24% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 3 | $34,600 | 0% | 13.25% |
What stands out in this market
Reading the figures above against the national picture:
- Loan sizes are typical. The median of $139,400 is within a few percent of the $150,000 national median across all 7(a) borrowers, so nothing about this market is unusual on size.
- Startup share is about average, at 27% against 34% nationally.
- Lending here is fragmented. The top three lenders made only 22% of these loans between them, so no single institution owns this market. That is good news: it means shopping genuinely pays.
- This market has performed well. Its FY2010-2019 charge-off rate of 5.0% is below the 7.1% overall figure, which is part of why lenders compete for it.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 26.9% went to businesses the SBA classes as startups — new, under two years old, or opening with the proceeds. These are the lenders in this market that actually wrote them.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FNBC Bank | 4 | $188,250 | 100% | 10.25% |
| Arvest Bank | 3 | $356,300 | 75% | 8.43% |
| Commerce Bank | 2 | $47,500 | 100% | 7.50% |
| Newtek Bank | 2 | $850,000 | 67% | 11.50% |
| Encore Bank | 2 | $687,500 | 100% | 9.62% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan is close to what you need.
- Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year. See choosing an SBA lender.
- Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator so you ask for a number the cash flow supports.
- Assemble the package before you call. The document checklist is the single biggest thing you control.
Compare other markets
- Other sectors in Arkansas: restaurants and hotels, construction, agriculture, retail, personal services, healthcare
- Professional Services in comparable states: Nebraska, Iowa, New Mexico, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware