Arkansas Paycheck Calculator 2026 - Calculate Your AR Salary After Taxes

Calculate Your Arkansas Salary After Taxes

If you're working in Arkansas or considering a job offer in the Natural State, understanding your Arkansas salary after taxes is crucial for financial planning. Arkansas uses a flat 4.5% state income tax in 2026, which means every dollar of taxable income is taxed at the same rate. This makes calculating your Arkansas paycheck more straightforward than states with progressive tax brackets.

For example, a retail manager earning $50,000 in Little Rock will see their Arkansas salary after taxes reduced by approximately $2,250 in state taxes (4.5% flat rate), plus federal taxes and FICA. A teacher earning $48,000 in Fayetteville will pay around $2,160 in Arkansas state taxes. A healthcare worker earning $75,000 in Fort Smith will pay approximately $3,375 in state taxes. The flat tax system means everyone pays the same rate regardless of income level, which simplifies calculations but means lower-income earners pay the same percentage as high earners.

Our Arkansas paycheck calculator helps you determine your exact Arkansas salary after taxes. Because we maintain federal, FICA, and Arkansas withholding tables for every filing status, the calculator instantly shows both per-paycheck and annual net pay. Toggle between salary and hourly pay, include pre-tax deductions such as 401(k), HSA, or health insurance, and watch the tool recompute your Arkansas take-home pay immediately.

How to Calculate Your Arkansas Salary After Taxes

Using our Arkansas paycheck calculator is straightforward. Follow these steps to determine your Arkansas salary after taxes:

1. Enter your income: Select salary or hourly pay and enter your gross income. For example, if you earn $58,000 per year or $29 per hour in Arkansas, enter that amount.
2. Select Arkansas: Choose Arkansas as your state (using ?state=AR in the URL fills it in automatically). This ensures the 4.5% flat tax rate is applied correctly.
3. Add your details: Pick your pay frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly) and filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.), then add any 401(k), HSA, or health insurance deductions.
4. Get your results: Click "Calculate My Paycheck" and review the detailed breakdown showing your Arkansas salary after taxes, including federal income tax, Arkansas state tax (4.5% flat), FICA taxes, and your final take-home pay.

The Arkansas paycheck calculator is especially useful for comparing job offers, planning your budget in cities like Little Rock, Fayetteville, or Fort Smith, or understanding how pre-tax deductions affect your Arkansas salary after taxes. Arkansas's flat tax means state tax calculations are consistent regardless of income level, making budgeting more predictable.

Understanding Arkansas's Flat Tax System

Arkansas moved to a flat 4.5% income tax rate in 2024, simplifying the tax structure that previously used progressive brackets. This flat tax applies to all taxable income after accounting for the standard deduction. The standard deduction in Arkansas is $2,200 for single filers and $4,400 for married couples filing jointly in 2026.

This flat tax structure means that whether you earn $40,000 or $150,000, you pay 4.5% on your taxable income. However, due to the standard deduction, lower-income earners effectively pay a smaller percentage of their gross income in state taxes. For example, someone earning $40,000 with a $2,200 standard deduction pays 4.5% on $37,800, while someone earning $150,000 pays 4.5% on $145,600, resulting in a higher effective tax rate for lower earners but the same marginal rate for all.

The flat tax makes Arkansas an attractive state for higher earners who might otherwise pay higher marginal rates in progressive tax states. However, it can be more burdensome for lower-income workers compared to progressive systems that offer lower rates on initial income brackets.

Arkansas Local Taxes and Your Salary After Taxes

When calculating your Arkansas salary after taxes, it's important to note that Arkansas does not allow local income taxes at the city or county level. Unlike states like Pennsylvania or Ohio, Arkansas only collects the 4.5% flat state tax and federal taxes, which simplifies your Arkansas paycheck calculation significantly.

However, Arkansas does have a state sales tax of 6.5% (plus local sales taxes that can bring the total to 10-12% in some areas) and property taxes. While these don't directly affect your paycheck, they're important to consider when evaluating the total cost of living in Arkansas. Your Arkansas paycheck calculator results will show your take-home pay after federal income tax, Arkansas's 4.5% flat tax, and FICA taxes only.

This makes Arkansas an attractive state for workers who want straightforward tax calculations, as the flat 4.5% rate means you can easily estimate your state tax burden regardless of income level, and there are no additional local income taxes reducing your paycheck.

Example: Arkansas Salary After Taxes Calculation

Let's calculate the Arkansas salary after taxes for someone earning $62,000 per year in Arkansas, filing as married filing jointly, with a 5% 401(k) contribution:

• Gross annual salary: $62,000
• 401(k) contribution (5%): $3,100 (pre-tax)
• Federal taxable income: ~$47,600 (after standard deduction)
• Federal income tax: ~$5,000
• FICA taxes (Social Security + Medicare): $4,743
• Arkansas state tax (4.5% flat): $2,790
• Arkansas salary after taxes (annual): $47,367
• Bi-weekly Arkansas paycheck: ~$1,822

This example demonstrates how the Arkansas paycheck calculator works. The 4.5% flat tax means state tax is easy to calculate, but federal taxes vary based on filing status and income level. The 401(k) contribution reduces both federal and Arkansas taxable income, providing tax savings.

Multiple Salary Examples: Arkansas Take-Home Pay

Understanding how different salary levels affect your Arkansas take-home pay helps with financial planning:

Entry-Level ($38,000 salary, single filer): After federal taxes (~$2,800), FICA (~$2,907), and Arkansas state tax (~$1,710), annual take-home pay is approximately $30,583, or $1,176 per bi-weekly paycheck.

Mid-Career ($65,000 salary, married filing jointly): After federal taxes (~$5,300), FICA (~$4,972), and Arkansas state tax (~$2,925), annual take-home pay is approximately $51,803, or $1,992 per bi-weekly paycheck.

Senior Level ($95,000 salary, married filing jointly, 7% 401(k)): After 401(k) contribution ($6,650), federal taxes (~$8,200), FICA (~$6,753), and Arkansas state tax (~$3,976), annual take-home pay is approximately $69,421, or $2,670 per bi-weekly paycheck.

High Earner ($130,000 salary, single filer, 10% 401(k)): After 401(k) contribution ($13,000), federal taxes (~$15,000), FICA (~$8,945), and Arkansas state tax (~$5,265), annual take-home pay is approximately $87,790, or $3,376 per bi-weekly paycheck.

Comparing Arkansas to Neighboring States

Understanding how Arkansas compares to nearby states helps when evaluating job offers or considering relocation:

Arkansas vs. Texas: Texas has no state income tax, so someone earning $70,000 in Texas takes home approximately $53,500 annually, compared to $50,850 in Arkansas—a difference of about $2,650 per year due to Arkansas's 4.5% state tax.

Arkansas vs. Tennessee: Tennessee also has no state income tax, making it more tax-friendly for workers than Arkansas. However, Arkansas's overall cost of living is generally lower, which can offset the tax difference.

Arkansas vs. Missouri: Missouri has a progressive tax system with rates up to 5.3%. For lower incomes, Arkansas's 4.5% flat rate can be more favorable, but higher earners may benefit more from Missouri's progressive structure.

Arkansas vs. Oklahoma: Oklahoma has progressive tax rates up to 5%. Middle and high earners often pay slightly less in Oklahoma compared to Arkansas's flat 4.5%, but the difference is typically modest.

2026 Planning Tips for Arkansas Employees

• Update your W-4: If you want to adjust your Arkansas salary after taxes, update your W-4 if you picked up a second job, got married, or expect significant itemized deductions in 2026. Arkansas uses federal withholding, so your W-4 directly affects your state withholding as well.
• Maximize pre-tax benefits: Leverage pre-tax benefits—every dollar you contribute to a 401(k) or HSA reduces both federal and Arkansas taxable income, increasing your take-home pay. With Arkansas's 4.5% rate, you save on both federal and state taxes.
• Track Social Security wage base: Track your year-to-date taxable wages. Once you hit the Social Security wage base ($168,600 in 2025), your Arkansas salary after taxes will increase because OASDI withholding stops for the rest of the year.
• Consider cost of living: Remember that Arkansas's 4.5% flat tax, combined with generally affordable cost of living (especially in smaller cities), can significantly maximize your purchasing power even with a moderate Arkansas salary after taxes. Housing costs in Arkansas are well below the national average.
• Take advantage of standard deduction: Arkansas's standard deduction ($2,200 single, $4,400 married) reduces your taxable income before applying the 4.5% rate. Make sure you're taking full advantage of this deduction.

Arkansas-Specific Tax Considerations

Arkansas offers several tax benefits that can affect your take-home pay calculations:

Retirement Income: Arkansas provides exemptions for Social Security benefits and military retirement income, making it attractive for retirees. However, this primarily affects retirees rather than active workers.

Low-Income Tax Credit: Arkansas offers a low-income tax credit for eligible taxpayers, which can reduce state tax liability for lower-income workers.

Standard Deduction: Arkansas's standard deduction is indexed for inflation, so it may increase slightly each year. For 2026, it's $2,200 for single filers and $4,400 for married couples filing jointly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arkansas Salary After Taxes