Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in Arkansas
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Arkansas. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Arkansas
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 17 building trades in Arkansas — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $21.80 | $29.91 | $45.35 | 6,390 |
| Carpenters | $16.68 | $22.27 | $33.44 | 3,860 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $15.38 | $22.13 | $27.69 | 2,530 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $16.43 | $20.90 | $22.18 | 290 |
| Tile & stone setters | $14.26 | $18.24 | $20.97 | 190 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $19.09 | $22.91 | $27.28 | 130 |
| Carpet installers | $14.63 | $17.50 | $28.69 | 40 |
| Painters | $15.04 | $18.47 | $27.65 | 910 |
| Glaziers | $16.72 | $18.81 | $24.74 | 370 |
| Insulation workers | $16.89 | $21.74 | $27.41 | 340 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $17.17 | $23.12 | $30.13 | 520 |
| Roofers | $14.23 | $21.69 | $28.71 | 860 |
| Electricians | $17.06 | $23.76 | $35.13 | 8,670 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $15.96 | $23.89 | $33.63 | 3,080 |
| HVAC technicians | $17.52 | $22.71 | $31.64 | 4,890 |
| Equipment operators | $16.75 | $21.71 | $27.75 | 5,550 |
| Construction laborers | $13.98 | $17.80 | $23.08 | 8,910 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Arkansas's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$17.47 in 2019 → $22.27 in 2024
$20.94 in 2019 → $23.76 in 2024
$20.38 in 2019 → $23.89 in 2024
$14.02 in 2019 → $17.80 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Arkansas's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$29.91/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
8,910 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Floor layers (non-carpet)
-$0.63/hr vs $23.54
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Roofers
+ 34% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in Arkansas
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Arkansas's contractor licensing board.