Arkansas Paycheck Calculator (2026)

How the Arkansas Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay Works

This Arkansas paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay in Arkansas using the 2026 federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare and Arkansas's state income tax (graduated rates from 2% to 3.9%). Arkansas has been cutting its top income tax rate to 3.9% and it uses personal tax credits rather than large deductions. Enter your salary, pay frequency, filing status and any pre-tax deduction to see net pay per paycheck and per year.

How Arkansas taxes wages

Arkansas taxes income at 2% on the first $4,600 of taxable income and 3.9% above that for 2026, after a series of legislative cuts in recent years reduced the top rate from 6.6% a decade ago. The state standard deduction is $2,470 for single filers and $4,940 for joint filers, and personal tax credits of $29 for single filers and $58 for joint filers reduce tax directly. Arkansas allows a general tax reduction for low-income earners through a separate tax table.

On a $65,000 salary with a traditional 401(k), Arkansas tax is roughly $2,200, or about 3.4% of gross pay. Arkansas conforms to federal treatment of pre-tax retirement deferrals, so those contributions lower state wages.

How this calculator estimates your Arkansas paycheck

The calculator starts with your gross pay, subtracts the pre-tax deduction you enter, and applies the 2026 federal standard deduction of $16,100 for single filers or $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. Federal income tax comes from the seven 2026 brackets, Social Security is 6.2% up to $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45% with a 0.9% surcharge above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint). For Arkansas it then applies graduated rates from 2% to 3.9% income tax after a state standard deduction of $2,470 for single filers and $4,940 for joint filers and a personal exemption credit of $29 for single filers and $58 for joint filers. Pre-tax deferrals reduce state taxable income in the estimate, as they do on most state returns. Results are estimates; your employer's payroll system and your tax return are final. See the US paycheck guide for the full method.

What jobs pay in Arkansas

About 1,303,630 people worked in Arkansas in May 2025. The median annual wage across all of them was $43,630 ($20.98 an hour), 14% below the national median of $50,980. The average wage was higher, at $54,890, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up; the median is the better guide to a typical paycheck.

After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and the Arkansas taxes in this calculator, a single worker on that $43,630 median takes home about $35,748 a year, or $2,979 a month and $1,374.92 every two weeks.

Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arkansas. Take-home pay: this page's 2026 calculator, single filer, no pre-tax deductions, default settings.

The biggest jobs in Arkansas and what they take home

The largest occupations in Arkansas by number of workers are below. Each row shows the median salary and what a single filer keeps after 2026 taxes in Arkansas.

Most of the largest occupations sit near or below the middle of the pay range: 10 of these 15 pay less than the $43,630 median for all workers, which is why the overall median is lower than many people expect.

Worked example: $65,000 salary in Arkansas, paid every two weeks

A single Arkansas employee earning $65,000, paid every two weeks and contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k), has gross pay of $2,500.00 per paycheck. After the $2,600 deferral and the $16,100 federal standard deduction, taxable income is $46,300 and federal income tax is about $5,308. Social Security is $4,030 and Medicare is $943. Arkansas state income tax is about $2,221, an effective state rate of 3.42% of gross pay.

Net pay is about $49,899 a year, or $1,919.18 per paycheck, which is 76.8% of gross pay. Change any input in the calculator above to test your own situation.

Married couple example: $110,000 combined pay

A married couple filing jointly in Arkansas with $110,000 of combined wages and 6% ($6,600) going to traditional retirement plans has federal taxable income of $71,200 and pays about $8,048 in federal income tax and $8,415 in FICA. Arkansas income tax comes to roughly $3,695. Estimated take-home pay is about $83,242 a year, or $3,201.63 per biweekly paycheck.

Well-paid occupations in Arkansas

Among occupations with at least 2,000 workers in Arkansas, these have the highest median pay. Federal tax takes a larger share at these salaries, so compare the take-home column rather than the salary when weighing offers.

Jobs that are unusually common in Arkansas

A location quotient compares how common a job is locally with its share nationwide: 2.0 means twice as concentrated as the U.S. overall. These occupations stand out in Arkansas and say a lot about which industries hire there.

Is pay higher in Arkansas? Popular jobs compared

Median annual wages for well-known jobs in Arkansas and the United States. Pay usually tracks living costs, so a higher wage does not always mean more money left over.

Starting wages in Arkansas

The lowest-paid 10% of workers in Arkansas earn under $12.99 an hour. Common hourly jobs pay the median rates below; a 40-hour week at that rate takes home the amount shown after 2026 taxes. Check the current Arkansas minimum wage on the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage page, since several states raise it each year.

Which career fields pay most in Arkansas

BLS groups every job into broad career fields. Here is how many people work in each across Arkansas, the field's median salary and what that salary takes home in Arkansas. Management pays the most at a median of $84,800; food preparation and serving related pays the least at $27,600.

Entry-level to top pay for Arkansas jobs

The median hides a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% in a job are often new to it, while the top 10% are usually experienced, specialized or in management. The ranges below for common Arkansas jobs show how much room there is to grow, with take-home pay at each level.

Arkansas take-home pay at three salaries

These estimates assume a single filer, no pre-tax deductions and the 2026 federal standard deduction.

• $40,000: federal income tax about $2,620, FICA $3,060, Arkansas income tax about $1,347, leaving roughly $32,973 a year ($1,268.18 per biweekly paycheck).
• $65,000: federal income tax about $5,620, FICA $4,973, Arkansas income tax about $2,322, leaving roughly $52,085 a year ($2,003.28 per biweekly paycheck).
• $100,000: federal income tax about $13,170, FICA $7,650, Arkansas income tax about $3,687, leaving roughly $75,493 a year ($2,903.57 per biweekly paycheck).

Use the calculator to add retirement deferrals, change your filing status or switch pay frequency. For comparisons, see the national paycheck calculator and the paycheck calculators by state hub.

Where the tax goes on a $65,000 Arkansas paycheck

Of about $12,915 in total annual taxes for a single filer earning $65,000 with no pre-tax deductions, federal income tax is about 44%, Social Security and Medicare together are about 39%, Arkansas income tax is about 18%. Federal taxes dominate almost everywhere, which is why federal planning tools such as the federal income tax calculator and a correctly completed W-4 matter as much as the state rate.

Arkansas local taxes and payroll deductions

Arkansas has no local income tax on wages and no state disability or paid family leave payroll deduction. Employees use Form AR4EC to claim allowances and adjust state withholding. Arkansas employers withhold based on state tables that reflect the lower top rate, which have been updated after each rate cut, so an outdated payroll system can over-withhold.

Federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare and Arkansas withholding are the main lines on a stub. Arkansas has no reciprocity agreements with neighboring states, so commuters from Texas, Missouri or Oklahoma who work in Arkansas pay Arkansas tax on wages earned there.

Retirement income, credits and special Arkansas rules

Arkansas does not tax Social Security benefits and exempts up to $6,000 of retirement income from a qualified plan, including pensions, IRA distributions and military retirement pay. The state offers a child tax credit for low-income families and a credit for tuition, and low-income taxpayers may pay no state income tax through the special low-income tax table.

Bonuses and supplemental wages are taxed as wages, with withholding at a flat rate. Arkansas has no estate tax and no inheritance tax, and capital gains receive a partial exclusion in some cases.

Living and working in Arkansas: how the tax burden compares

Arkansas's state sales tax is 6.5%, and local taxes add up to about 5% more, so combined rates commonly reach 9% to 11% in cities such as Little Rock and Fayetteville. Groceries are taxed at a reduced state rate. Property taxes are low, with an assessment cap on homesteads. Northwest Arkansas has strong corporate headquarters employment tied to retail and logistics, and housing costs there have risen.

Compare Arkansas with Oklahoma, Tennessee and Louisiana, using the calculators.

Arkansas income tax at a glance

• State income tax: graduated, from 2% to 3.9%
• State standard deduction: $2,470 single, $4,940 joint
• Personal exemption: $29 single, $58 joint (credit)
• State pre-tax retirement treatment: follows the federal exclusion
• Withholding form: Form AR4EC
• Agency: the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration

These are the assumptions built into the calculator above. Rates, exemptions and payroll premiums change from year to year, so verify each item with the agency listed before making a large financial decision.

What a $100 pre-tax contribution really costs in Arkansas

Contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k) or HSA reduces your take-home pay by less than $100 because it lowers taxable income. In the $65,000 single-filer example for Arkansas, the annual contribution of $2,600 cuts net pay by only about $2,187, or $84.10 per biweekly paycheck, so the true cost of each $100 contribution is roughly $84.10. The saving comes from both federal and Arkansas income tax, though not from Social Security or Medicare. Use the 401(k) calculator to see how those contributions grow.

Arkansas paycheck rules: pay frequency, minimum wage and final pay

Arkansas's minimum wage is $11 an hour, above the federal $7.25. State law requires employers to pay wages at least monthly or on regular paydays, and final wages are due within seven days of discharge or on the next regular payday for quits. Overtime follows federal rules for covered workers, and Arkansas does not require paid sick leave. Workers can file wage claims with the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing.

Common mistakes with Arkansas paychecks

• Using pre-cut rates. Arkansas has lowered its top rate several times.
• Expecting a large deduction. Arkansas relies on small credits.
• Budgeting from gross pay. Plan with net pay per paycheck, about $1,919.18 in the $65,000 example.
• Forgetting FICA. Social Security and Medicare add 7.65% for most employees. See what is FICA tax.
• Not updating withholding. Review your W-4 and Form AR4EC after a move, marriage or new job, using the W-4 withholding calculator.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas taxes wages with graduated rates from 2% to 3.9%.
• Pre-tax retirement deferrals lower federal income tax but not FICA.
• A single worker earning $65,000 keeps about 77% of gross pay in the standard example.
• Compare states using total cost of living, not only income tax.
• Confirm current figures with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and IRS.gov.

What a typical Arkansas paycheck covers

On the $43,630 median, the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of gross pay on housing allows rent of about $1,091 a month. Using the 50/30/20 rule on the $2,979 monthly take-home pay, that is about $1,489 for needs such as rent, food and transport, $894 for wants and $596 for savings and debt payments.

If rents run above $1,091 for the home you want, the usual fixes are a roommate, a longer commute or a second income in the household; the rent affordability calculator tests your own numbers.