Is Arkansas a good state for your salary to go far?

Arkansas ranks #49 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 92.7 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 86.9 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Arkansas?

Arkansas's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 86.9, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Arkansas

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Arkansas

Arkansas ranks #49 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 92.7, base = 100). Cost of living 86.9 (US = 100); top income tax 3.90%.

Does a salary go further in Arkansas? (cost of living + state tax)

In Arkansas, the cost of living is 86.9 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 92.7 across 371 occupations, ranking it #49 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Arkansas ranks #49 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 92.7 means pay goes -7.3% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

92.7

Real pay by occupation in Arkansas (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars	$93,300	$103,373	153.6
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	$124,890	$138,293	131.7
Occupational Therapy Assistants	$78,940	$87,500	127.0
Purchasing Managers	$156,450	$173,179	124.9
Occupational Therapists	$106,360	$117,810	119.9
Interior Designers	$69,990	$77,607	118.1
Driver/Sales Workers	$39,820	$44,257	117.7
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	$50,070	$55,587	116.3
Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$74,500	$82,592	115.9
Data Scientists	$109,390	$121,159	114.4
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$58,590	$65,005	114.4
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$97,880	$108,436	114.1
Printing Press Operators	$46,470	$51,608	113.3
Conservation Scientists	$73,320	$81,288	112.2
Insurance Underwriters	$82,130	$91,026	112.1
Audiologists	$96,980	$107,441	111.6
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators	$58,470	$64,872	111.2
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$74,800	$82,924	110.7
Buyers and Purchasing Agents	$75,870	$84,106	110.0
Postal Service Mail Carriers	$59,700	$66,232	110.0
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks	$42,040	$46,711	109.7
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment	$34,970	$38,896	109.3
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$44,790	$49,751	108.9
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$45,580	$50,624	108.6
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	$59,310	$65,801	108.6
Physical Therapists	$99,010	$109,685	108.4
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants	$34,750	$38,652	108.2
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping	$45,490	$50,524	107.8
Power Plant Operators	$97,760	$108,304	107.4
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$54,000	$59,931	107.1
Physical Therapist Assistants	$64,520	$71,560	107.0
Postal Service Clerks	$59,490	$66,000	107.0
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$37,980	$42,223	106.7
Bus Drivers, School	$45,500	$50,535	106.6
Pharmacists	$136,060	$150,640	106.2
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	$73,920	$81,951	106.2
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service	$37,940	$42,179	106.2
Industrial Production Managers	$118,120	$130,809	105.9
Sewing Machine Operators	$35,630	$39,625	105.8
Architectural and Civil Drafters	$62,420	$69,239	105.4

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Arkansas. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (86.9, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Arkansas, a $85,000 salary is worth about $93,959 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $3,315 (≈ top marginal 3.90% (upper bound)) · take-home $81,685 · BEA cost of living 86.9 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $1,993 gain over Arkansas.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Arkansas real pay — FAQ

Is Arkansas a good state for your salary to go far?: Arkansas ranks #49 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 92.7 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 86.9 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Arkansas?: Arkansas's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 86.9, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Arkansas is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.