Jonesboro Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Jonesboro, AR: $20.31/hr median hourly wage, $42,240 median annual salary, cost of living index 82.5, and $11.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Arkansas taxes.
Jonesboro Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Jonesboro, AR is $20.31/hr,and the median annual wage is $42,240. Entry-level pay estimates around $12.59/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $28.84/hr, and the local minimum wage is $11.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Jonesboro, AR metropolitan statistical area (60,620 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Jonesboro shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$42,240
$20.31/hr
Cost of Living
82.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$11.00
per hour
Unemployment
4.1%
rate
Jonesboro, AR Overview
Population
78,576
Median Salary
$42,240
Average Salary
$52,610
Avg Commute
17 min
Median Home Price
$175,000
Median Rent
$739/mo
Job Growth
+2.2%
Sales Tax
6.5%
Jonesboro is located in Arkansas with a population of 78,576. The median annual wage across all occupations is $42,240 ($20.31/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Jonesboro, AR metro), which is $8,740 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 17 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.2%.
Jonesboro Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Jonesboro, AR built around the $42,240 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Jonesboro, 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 | $26,189 | $12.59/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $42,240 | $20.31/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $59,981 | $28.84/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $75,187 | $36.15/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.
Jonesboro Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Jonesboro, AR, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$34,656
$2,888.02/month · $1,332.93/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.0%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,332.93 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
$42,240
Federal Tax
-$2,889
State Tax
-$1,464
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,231
Net Pay
$34,656
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,520.00 | $42,240.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$240.73 | -$2,888.80 |
| Arkansas State Tax (3.47% eff.) | -$121.97 | -$1,463.63 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$218.24 | -$2,618.88 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$51.04 | -$612.48 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $2,888.02 | $34,656.21 |
Salary Comparison: Jonesboro vs Other Cities
See how Jonesboro's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonesboro, AR | $42,240 | 82.5 | $51,200 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Dalton, GA | $42,210 | 82.8 | $50,978 |
| Laplace, LA | $42,291 | 84.6 | $49,989 |
| Lubbock, TX | $42,130 | 84 | $50,155 |
| Lawton, OK | $42,090 | 82.5 | $51,018 |
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 Jonesboro
Jonesboro's cost of living index is 82.5 (national average = 100). Living in Jonesboro is 17.5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$175,000
Median Monthly Rent
$739
Annual Rent Cost
$8,868
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $34,656 annual take-home pay in Jonesboro has the purchasing power of approximately $42,008 in an average-cost US area. Your $42,240 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Jonesboro
Jonesboro's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $42,240.
Salary Tips for Jonesboro Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Jonesboro has a cost of living 17.5% below the national average. A salary of $42,240 here has the purchasing power of about $51,200 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Jonesboro's top industries include Agriculture, Retail, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $42,240 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 Jonesboro salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Jonesboro, 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 Jonesboro indexed at 82.5.
- Median salary: $42,240 annual, $20.31 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Jonesboro, AR MSA (60,620 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $52,610 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Jonesboro was $35,799.
- 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 Jonesboro: 4.1%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Agriculture, Retail, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Arkansas.
- Housing context: median home price $175,000, median rent $739/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Jonesboro, AR:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Jonesboro unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Jonesboro 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. Jonesboro'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 Jonesboro, AR?
The median hourly wage in Jonesboro, AR is $20.31 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Jonesboro, AR metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $42,240. Entry-level workers are estimated around $12.59/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $28.84/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Jonesboro, AR?
The median salary in Jonesboro, AR is $42,240 per year, or $20.31 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Jonesboro, AR metro area). The BLS mean salary is $52,610. This is $8,740 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Jonesboro, AR?
Jonesboro's cost of living index is 82.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 17.5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $175,000 and the median monthly rent is $739.
What are the best industries in Jonesboro?
The top industries in Jonesboro, AR include Agriculture, Retail, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 2.2% and an unemployment rate of 4.1%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $42,240.
How does Jonesboro's salary compare to other cities?
Jonesboro's median salary of $42,240 is 17.1% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 82.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $51,200.
What is the minimum wage in Jonesboro, AR?
The minimum wage in Jonesboro, 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.