What does a Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders salary really buy you in Arkansas?
Arkansas is 13.4% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Arkansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 86.6, meaning prices are 13.4% lower the national average. A Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders earning $39,430 in Arkansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $45,531 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $36,110 | $41,697 | +$5,587 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $36,980 | $42,702 | +$5,722 |
| Median (P50) | $39,430 | $45,531 | +$6,101 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $40,640 | $46,928 | +$6,288 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $45,610 | $52,667 | +$7,057 |
A Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Arkansas earns $39,430 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $45,531 in an average-cost state. This makes Arkansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Arkansas ranks #21 out of 43 states for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Arkansas earns a median salary of $39,430 per year. After adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living (RPP=86.6), the real purchasing power is $45,531 — a +15.5% difference.
Arkansas's cost of living is 13.4% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Arkansas is 86.6 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Arkansas: $39,430 x (100 / 86.6) = $45,531. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Arkansas enjoys 15.5% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.