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Hot Springs, AR metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Hot Springs, AR?

In the Hot Springs, AR metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $26,340 a year ($12.66 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 200 of these jobs there. That is 28% below the $36,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,150 and $34,830; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arkansas tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,806 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Hot Springs, AR at a glance

Median salary

$26,340$12.66 per hour · $2,195 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,150$11.13/hr
25th percentile$25,170$12.10/hr
75th percentile$31,040$14.92/hr
90th percentile$34,830$16.74/hr
Jobs in this metro200Location quotient 0.92 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% belowAll-jobs median $36,540
Against Arkansas5% belowStatewide median $27,660
Against the U.S.25% belowNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $26,000 a year leaves after tax in ArkansasFederal tax, FICA and Arkansas withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$13 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $26,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $26,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Arkansas publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Arkansas.

Food preparation worker salary in Hot Springs, AR after taxes

$26,340
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,340
Net 87%
Fed 4%
AR 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,806After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,901Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$877Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,024 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$495 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,015 / yr
Customize deductions in full Arkansas calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Hot Springs, AR, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hot Springs, AR metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Hot Springs, AR metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AR)
10th percentile$11.13/hr$1,929$23,150$20,288
25th percentile$12.10/hr$2,098$25,170$21,883
MedianMedian$12.66/hr$2,195$26,340$22,806
75th percentile$14.92/hr$2,587$31,040$26,455
90th percentile$16.74/hr$2,903$34,830$29,353

Is $26,340 a good salary in Hot Springs, AR?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$57,181Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)85.714.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.1%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Food preparation workers pay in other Arkansas metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Hot Springs, AR. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Hot Springs, AR: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Hot Springs, AR?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Hot Springs, AR metro area was $26,340 in May 2025, about $2,195 a month or $12.66 an hour. Statewide, the Arkansas median for this job is $27,660, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Hot Springs, AR?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Hot Springs, AR was $12.66 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.13 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.74.

How many food preparation workers work in Hot Springs, AR?

BLS estimated 200 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.92 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Hot Springs, AR?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Hot Springs, AR run from $23,150 at the 10th percentile to $25,170 at the 25th, $31,040 at the 75th, and $34,830 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Hot Springs, AR?

On a median gross salary of $26,340, an estimated $22,806 lands in net take-home pay per year ($877 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arkansas in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,534 (an effective rate of 13.4%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Hot Springs, AR?

On the median annual salary of $26,340, gross monthly income is $2,195. After federal, FICA, and Arkansas state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,901 per month (or $877 every two weeks).

Is $26,340 a good salary in Hot Springs, AR?

At $26,340, the median salary for food preparation workers is 46.1% of the Hot Springs, AR median household income ($57,181). It is 28% below the $36,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 85.7, so prices here run 14.3% below the U.S. average.