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What does a Sewing Machine Operators salary really buy you in Arkansas?
Arkansas is 13.4% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Arkansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 86.6, meaning prices are 13.4% lower the national average. A Sewing Machine Operators earning $35,630 in Arkansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $41,143 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) | $27,810 | $32,113 | +$4,303 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $29,340 | $33,879 | +$4,539 |
| Median (P50) | $35,630 | $41,143 | +$5,513 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $38,640 | $44,618 | +$5,978 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $45,660 | $52,725 | +$7,065 |
A Sewing Machine Operators in Arkansas earns $35,630 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $41,143 in an average-cost state. This makes Arkansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Arkansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 86.6 means a basket of goods and services costs about 13.4% less than the national average. For a Sewing Machine Operators, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $35,630 for Arkansas's cost of living yields $41,143 — a 15.5% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Sewing Machine Operators, Arkansas places #10 of 50 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Sewing Machine Operators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Arkansas ranks #10 out of 50 states for Sewing Machine Operators after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Sewing Machine Operators take-home pay in Arkansas after taxes →
A Sewing Machine Operators in Arkansas earns a median salary of $35,630 per year. After adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living (RPP=86.6), the real purchasing power is $41,143 — 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 Sewing Machine Operators in Arkansas: $35,630 x (100 / 86.6) = $41,143. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Sewing Machine Operators 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.
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