Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Mechanical Drafters actually take home in Arkansas?
Progressive (up to 4.4%) — 20.5% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Mechanical Drafters earning $59,960 in Arkansas (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $59,960 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$5,211 | 8.7% |
| Arkansas State Income Tax | -$2,518 | 4.2% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,717 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$869 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$12,316 | 20.5% |
| Take-Home Pay | $47,643 | 79.5% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $48,850 | -$9,644 | $39,205 | 19.7% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $51,860 | -$10,368 | $41,491 | 20.0% |
| Median (P50) | $59,960 | -$12,316 | $47,643 | 20.5% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $70,750 | -$15,811 | $54,938 | 22.3% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $81,010 | -$19,304 | $61,705 | 23.8% |
After federal income tax ($5,211), state tax ($2,518), and FICA ($4,586), a Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas takes home $47,643 per year — or $3,970 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.5% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.5%, a Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas keeps $47,644 of $59,960 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Arkansas uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Mechanical Drafters salary the state tax works out to $2,518 (4.2% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Mechanical Drafters salary is $5,211 (42%), but combined state ($2,518, 20%) + FICA ($4,587, 37%) make up the other 58% of the bill.
Moving this same Mechanical Drafters salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $50,162 net — a gain of $2,518 (5.3%) per year versus Arkansas.
Arkansas sits near the bottom (#41 of 47) for Mechanical Drafters after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $47,644 net/year works out to $3,970/month or $1,832/bi-weekly for this Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Mechanical Drafters keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Arkansas ranks #41 out of 47 states for Mechanical Drafters after-tax take-home pay.
A Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas earning a median salary of $59,960 will take home approximately $47,643 per year after federal income tax ($5,211), state income tax ($2,518), and FICA ($4,586). That is $3,970 per month or $1,832 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas is 20.5%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.7%, Arkansas state tax 4.2%, 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 Mechanical Drafters's median salary of $59,960, the state income tax amounts to $2,518 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.2%.
After all taxes, a Mechanical Drafters in Arkansas takes home approximately $3,970 per month, or about $22.91 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 $59,960 for Mechanical Drafters 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 — $47,643/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