What do the trades pay in Arkansas?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$23.59/hrArkansas median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$23.39/hrArkansas median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$23.13/hrArkansas median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$22.82/hrArkansas median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$29.44/hrArkansas median, construction supervisors
Is there work in Arkansas?
Construction jobs in Arkansas, September 2026: 67,300, up 1.8% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in Arkansas, September 2026: 899, down 40.6% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in Arkansas: 23,370.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in Arkansas?
Arkansas licenses general contractors and the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing trades at the state level.2
- ElectricalState licenseContractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing)
- PlumbingState licenseDept of Health
- HVACState licenseHVACR Licensing Board
- RoofingState licenseContractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing)
- General contractorState licenseContractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing)
Check an Arkansas contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
Miss a date, lose the lien
File a just and true account of the amount owed, with a verified description of the property and an affidavit of notice (a sworn statement that the notice rules were followed plus a copy of each notice given), with the circuit court clerk of the county where the improvement sits, within 120 days after the labor or materials were last furnished. The clerk refuses a lien account that lacks the affidavits.3
Training near you
Apprentices are hired first and paid while they learn on the job and in class. Trade school comes first and charges tuition.
Where to train and find work near you
Union locals take apprenticeship applications and send members out to union contractors. Open-shop chapters run apprenticeship classes for the people their member contractors hire.
IBEW union locals
- IBEW Local 295Little Rock(501) 562-2244
- IBEW Local 436El Dorado(870) 863-9181
- IBEW Local 700Ft. Smith(479) 783-1149
- IBEW Local 1516Jonesboro(870) 932-2114
- IBEW Local 301Office in Texarkana, TX(903) 838-8531
- IBEW Local 474Office in Memphis, TN(901) 726-4060
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- El Dorado Elec. JATC1067 Industrial Road, El Dorado(870) 312-4245
- Fort Smith Elec. JATC2914 Midland Blvd., Ft. Smith(479) 709-9604
- Jonesboro Electrical JATCP.O. Box 577, Jonesboro(870) 932-2114
- Little Rock Elec. JATC7418 S. University Avenue, Little Rock(501) 565-0768
IEC chapters (open shop)
No IEC chapter lists an office in Arkansas. Chapters cover several states; the finder shows each one's area. IEC chapter finder
UA union locals
- UA Local 155Little Rock(501) 374-4943
Training
UA apprenticeships run through a joint committee of the local and union contractors. Call the local for the next application date.
PHCC chapters
- PHCC of Arkansas512 W Hillsboro ST, El Dorado(870) 862-5901
SMART union locals
- SMART Local 78Sherwood(330) 614-8161
Sheet metal training centers
No center in the national list has an address in Arkansas. ITI training center finder
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
- PHCC of Arkansas512 W Hillsboro ST, El Dorado(870) 862-5901
ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in Arkansas.
Carpenters union locals
- Carpenters Local 216Russellville
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- Arkansas HBA - StatePO Box 7600, Springdale(479) 313-2967
- Saline HBAPO Box 151, Benton(501) 909-8055
- Cabot Area HBAPO Box 1291, Cabot(501) 843-9303
- Greater Fort Smith AHBPO Box 180838, Fort Smith(479) 452-6213
- North Central Arkansas HBAPO Box 1321, Mountain Home(870) 656-0669
- HBA of Greater Little RockPO Box 755, North Little Rock(501) 758-3646
1 more chapters
- Northwest Arkansas HBAPO Box 6187, Springdale(479) 751-6688
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in Arkansas. Search the Roofers union website.
Training
Roofers locals run their apprenticeship through a joint committee with union contractors.
Contractor associations
The national trade group for roofing contractors is the National Roofing Contractors Association.
Trade schools: where to apply
- Arkansas State University-Newport7648 Victory Blvd, NewportElectrical programHVAC program
- Arkansas Tech University305 West Q Street, RussellvilleHVAC program
- University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton1537 University Blvd., Morrilton
- Arkansas State University Three RiversOne College Circle, Malvern
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock2801 S University Ave, Little Rock
- University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana2500 S Main, HopeHVAC programConstruction program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Arkansas, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Contractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing) (labor.arkansas.gov)
- Arkansas lien law: Ark. Code Ann. 18-44-117 (as amended by Act 810 of 2007); notice step 18-44-114 (10 days' notice to the owner before filing) (arkleg.state.ar.us)
- U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (field of study and institution data) (collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026 (bls.gov)
- Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026 (census.gov)
- Dept of Labor - Electrical licensing (labor.arkansas.gov)
- Dept of Health - Plumbing and Food Service Plan Review (healthy.arkansas.gov)