Benton Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Benton, AR: $22.02/hr median hourly wage, $45,790 median annual salary, cost of living index 79.5, and $11.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Arkansas taxes.
Benton Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Benton, AR is $22.02/hr,and the median annual wage is $45,790. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.65/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $31.27/hr, and the local minimum wage is $11.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan statistical area (358,210 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Benton shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$45,790
$22.02/hr
Cost of Living
79.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$11.00
per hour
Unemployment
3.4%
rate
Benton, AR Overview
Population
36,820
Median Salary
$45,790
Average Salary
$58,000
Avg Commute
21 min
Median Home Price
$165,000
Median Rent
$678/mo
Job Growth
+2.7%
Sales Tax
6.5%
Benton is located in Arkansas with a population of 36,820. The median annual wage across all occupations is $45,790 ($22.02/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro), which is $5,190 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 21 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.7%.
Benton Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Benton, AR built around the $45,790 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $28,390 | $13.65/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $45,790 | $22.02/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $65,022 | $31.27/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $81,506 | $39.20/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Benton Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Benton, AR, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$37,370
$3,114.18/month · $1,437.31/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.4%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,437.31 take-home per paycheck after estimated Arkansas and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$45,790
Federal Tax
-$3,315
State Tax
-$1,602
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,503
Net Pay
$37,370
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,815.83 | $45,790.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$276.23 | -$3,314.80 |
| Arkansas State Tax (3.50% eff.) | -$133.51 | -$1,602.08 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$236.58 | -$2,838.98 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$55.33 | -$663.96 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,114.18 | $37,370.19 |
Salary Comparison: Benton vs Other Cities
See how Benton's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton, AR | $45,790 | 79.5 | $57,597 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Little Rock, AR | $45,790 | 88 | $52,034 |
| Conway, AR | $45,790 | 84.5 | $54,189 |
| North Little Rock, AR | $45,790 | 86.6 | $52,875 |
| Sherwood, AR | $45,790 | 80.9 | $56,601 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Benton
Benton's cost of living index is 79.5 (national average = 100). Living in Benton is 20.5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$165,000
Median Monthly Rent
$678
Annual Rent Cost
$8,136
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $37,370 annual take-home pay in Benton has the purchasing power of approximately $47,007 in an average-cost US area. Your $45,790 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Benton
Benton's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $45,790.
Salary Tips for Benton Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Benton has a cost of living 20.5% below the national average. A salary of $45,790 here has the purchasing power of about $57,597 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Benton's top industries include Agriculture, Retail, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $45,790 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Benton salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Benton indexed at 79.5.
- Median salary: $45,790 annual, $22.02 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR MSA (358,210 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $58,000 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Benton was $35,236.
- Tax burden reflects Arkansas 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.9%) (no local income tax), sales tax (6.5%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Benton: 3.4%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Agriculture, Retail, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.7% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Arkansas.
- Housing context: median home price $165,000, median rent $678/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Benton, AR:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Benton unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Benton QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Arkansas, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Benton's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Arkansas labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Benton, AR?
The median hourly wage in Benton, AR is $22.02 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $45,790. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.65/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $31.27/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Benton, AR?
The median salary in Benton, AR is $45,790 per year, or $22.02 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area). The BLS mean salary is $58,000. This is $5,190 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Benton, AR?
Benton's cost of living index is 79.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 20.5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $165,000 and the median monthly rent is $678.
What are the best industries in Benton?
The top industries in Benton, AR include Agriculture, Retail, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 2.7% and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $45,790.
How does Benton's salary compare to other cities?
Benton's median salary of $45,790 is 10.2% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 79.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $57,597.
What is the minimum wage in Benton, AR?
The minimum wage in Benton, AR is $11.00 per hour. This equals approximately $22,880 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $3.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.