Food Preparation Workers pay range in Fort Smith
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,460 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Fort Smith earn between $25,510 and $30,720.
- $23K10th
- $26K25th
- $27KMedian
- $31K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,300 | $2,358 | $13.61 |
| Median | $26,900 | $2,242 | $12.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $25,510 | $2,126 | $12.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,720 | $2,560 | $14.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Fort Smith
On the average salary of $28,300, a single filer in Fort Smith takes home about $24,354 a year, or $2,030 a month and $937 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
The Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in AR | $24,354 | $2,030 |
| Working in OK | $24,187 | $2,016 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Is Fort Smith a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fort Smith area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $28,300 buys what about $32,950 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Smith ($39,560). A typical home costs $205,554, or 7.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Arkansas cities
Fort Smith ranks 4th of 5 Arkansas metro areas for this job; Fayetteville pays the most ($32,070).
- Fayetteville$32,070
- Little Rock$30,250
- Jonesboro$29,220
- Fort Smith$28,300
- Hot Springs$28,210
Highest-paying cities for food preparation workers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($48,150).
- Kahului, HI$48,150
- San Jose, CA$45,660
- Seattle, WA$44,390
- Napa, CA$44,240
- Santa Rosa, CA$43,450
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Food Preparation Workers salary in Fort Smith: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Fort Smith?
$13.61 an hour on average, and $12.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Fort Smith?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $25,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Fort Smith?
About $24,354 a year ($2,030 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,300. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Fort Smith than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($35,748).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2021; area Fort Smith, AR-OK (22900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.58, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.58).
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