What does a Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 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 Substitute Teachers, Short-Term earning $28,490 in Arkansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $32,898 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) | $23,620 | $27,274 | +$3,654 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $28,000 | $32,332 | +$4,332 |
| Median (P50) | $28,490 | $32,898 | +$4,408 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $29,290 | $33,822 | +$4,532 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $32,760 | $37,829 | +$5,069 |
A Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Arkansas earns $28,490 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $32,898 in an average-cost state. This makes Arkansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Arkansas ranks #38 out of 49 states for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Arkansas earns a median salary of $28,490 per year. After adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living (RPP=86.6), the real purchasing power is $32,898 — 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 Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Arkansas: $28,490 x (100 / 86.6) = $32,898. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 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.