Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Mechanical Engineers actually take home in Arkansas?
Progressive (up to 4.4%) — 23.7% 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 Engineers earning $80,180 in Arkansas (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $80,180 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$9,480 | 11.8% |
| Arkansas State Income Tax | -$3,407 | 4.3% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,971 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,162 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$19,022 | 23.7% |
| Take-Home Pay | $61,157 | 76.3% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $57,650 | -$11,760 | $45,889 | 20.4% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $65,620 | -$14,064 | $51,555 | 21.4% |
| Median (P50) | $80,180 | -$19,022 | $61,157 | 23.7% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $103,850 | -$27,081 | $76,768 | 26.1% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $131,840 | -$36,946 | $94,893 | 28.0% |
After federal income tax ($9,480), state tax ($3,407), and FICA ($6,133), a Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas takes home $61,157 per year — or $5,096 per month. The effective tax rate of 23.7% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 23.7%, a Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas keeps $61,158 of $80,180 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 Engineers salary the state tax works out to $3,408 (4.3% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Mechanical Engineers salary is $9,481 (50%), but combined state ($3,408, 18%) + FICA ($6,134, 32%) make up the other 50% of the bill.
Moving this same Mechanical Engineers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $64,566 net — a gain of $3,408 (5.6%) per year versus Arkansas.
Arkansas sits near the bottom (#51 of 51) for Mechanical Engineers after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $61,158 net/year works out to $5,096/month or $2,352/bi-weekly for this Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Mechanical Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Arkansas ranks #51 out of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas earning a median salary of $80,180 will take home approximately $61,157 per year after federal income tax ($9,480), state income tax ($3,407), and FICA ($6,133). That is $5,096 per month or $2,352 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas is 23.7%, broken down as: federal income tax 11.8%, Arkansas state tax 4.3%, 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 Engineers's median salary of $80,180, the state income tax amounts to $3,407 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.3%.
After all taxes, a Mechanical Engineers in Arkansas takes home approximately $5,096 per month, or about $29.40 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 $80,180 for Mechanical Engineers 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 — $61,157/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