Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Food Preparation Workers actually take home in Arkansas?
Progressive (up to 4.4%) — 16.4% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Food Preparation Workers earning $27,660 in Arkansas (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $27,660 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$1,335 | 4.8% |
| Arkansas State Income Tax | -$1,097 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$1,714 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$401 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$4,548 | 16.4% |
| Take-Home Pay | $23,111 | 83.6% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $24,020 | -$3,716 | $20,303 | 15.5% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $25,900 | -$4,130 | $21,769 | 15.9% |
| Median (P50) | $27,660 | -$4,548 | $23,111 | 16.4% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $32,390 | -$5,685 | $26,704 | 17.6% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $36,260 | -$6,616 | $29,643 | 18.2% |
After federal income tax ($1,335), state tax ($1,097), and FICA ($2,115), a Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas takes home $23,111 per year — or $1,925 per month. The effective tax rate of 16.4% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas faces an effective total tax rate of only 16.4%, keeping 83.6% of every gross dollar. That leaves $23,112 net out of $27,660 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
Arkansas uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Food Preparation Workers salary the state tax works out to $1,097 (4.0% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Food Preparation Workers salary is $1,335 (29%), but combined state ($1,097, 24%) + FICA ($2,116, 47%) make up the other 71% of the bill.
A Food Preparation Workers earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $24,209 — only $1,097 (4.7%) more than in Arkansas.
Arkansas sits near the bottom (#47 of 51) for Food Preparation Workers after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $23,112 net/year works out to $1,926/month or $889/bi-weekly for this Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Food Preparation Workers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Arkansas ranks #47 out of 51 states for Food Preparation Workers after-tax take-home pay.
A Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas earning a median salary of $27,660 will take home approximately $23,111 per year after federal income tax ($1,335), state income tax ($1,097), and FICA ($2,115). That is $1,925 per month or $888 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas is 16.4%, broken down as: federal income tax 4.8%, Arkansas state tax 4.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Arkansas has a progressive (up to 4.4%). On a Food Preparation Workers's median salary of $27,660, the state income tax amounts to $1,097 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas takes home approximately $1,925 per month, or about $11.11 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $27,660 for Food Preparation Workers in Arkansas, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Arkansas state income tax (progressive (up to 4.4%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $23,111/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR