Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Arkansas | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $80,180 | $107,639 | -26% |
| Median hourly wage | $38.55 | $51.75 | -26% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $92,267.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Mechanical Engineer in Arkansas is $80,180, or about $38.55 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Mechanical Engineers is $107,639. Arkansas is -26% below the national median.
Entry-level mechanical engineers in Arkansas typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 1,410 mechanical engineer jobs on record and a median salary of $80,180, Arkansas offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, mechanical engineers rank 98 of the 673 occupations reported in Arkansas — higher than 85% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Computer Hardware Engineers at $120,290, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer at $109,830, Chemical Engineers at $105,270 — all figures are median annual wages for Arkansas.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Arkansas levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 87.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, mechanical engineers rank 98 of the 673 occupations reported in Arkansas — higher than 85% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Arkansas | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $120,290 | $160 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $109,830 | $150 |
| Chemical Engineers | $105,270 | $290 |
| Materials Engineers | $103,900 | $90 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $102,040 | $180 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $101,590 | $130 |
Arkansas levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 87.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 673 occupations in Arkansas.