Skilled Wages

Ironworker salary in Arkansas

Median $21.88 an hour for 1,080 ironworkers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$21.88/hrMedian hourly wageArkansas, May data
$45,510/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$15.59 – $29.5510th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,080Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Ironworker pay in Arkansas: the full range

Wage percentiles, ArkansasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60/hrArkansas: 10th $15.59 · 25th $17.72 · median $21.88 · 75th $27.03 · 90th $29.55Arkansas$21.88$15.59$29.55United States: 10th $21.43 · 25th $23.98 · median $30.18 · 75th $39.74 · 90th $52.05United States$30.18
Hourly wage percentiles for ironworkers: Arkansas vs United States, May 2025.

Arkansas ranks 50th of 50 states for median ironworker pay, and 47th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.18). 1,080 ironworkers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$15.59 – $17.72$32,430 – $36,860roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$17.72 – $27.03$36,860 – $56,230the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$27.03 – $29.55$56,230 – $61,460the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Ironworker pay by metro in Arkansas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrMemphis: $24.23Memphis$24.23Fayetteville: $22.79Fayetteville$22.79Little Rock: $22.43Little Rock$22.43Fort Smith: $21.74Fort Smith$21.74
Median hourly wage for ironworkers by metro area in Arkansas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Memphis$17.47$24.23$26.28$34.2024011% above
Fayetteville$18.77$22.79$24.93$28.582004% above
Little Rock$17.24$22.43$25.09$28.383103% above
Fort Smith$15.00$21.74$25.31$26.67401% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Ironworker wages in Arkansas over time

Arkansas, 1999-2025ArkansasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.18United States$21.88Arkansas
Median hourly wage for ironworkers, Arkansas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearArkansas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.57$22.36$17.19880
2000$13.67$25.56$17.921,380
2001$13.28$24.14$18.721,110
2002$13.59$24.32$19.55920
2003$13.21$23.11$19.581,050
2004$13.37$22.79$20.40900
2005$13.59$22.40$19.51700
2006$14.13$22.56$19.46750
2007$13.75$21.35$20.26880
2008$15.85$23.70$20.68770
2009$18.61$27.93$21.40890
2010$17.13$25.29$21.42630
2011$16.50$23.62$21.97670
2012$15.44$21.65$22.18690
2013$16.87$23.31$22.36760
2014$18.80$25.57$23.17820
2015$18.38$24.97$24.28830
2016$20.06$26.91$24.91930
2017$18.74$24.61$25.30850
2018$18.82$24.13$25.95850
2019$17.24$21.71$26.46570
2020$19.29$24.00$26.36460
2021$22.62$26.88$28.15370
2022$23.22$25.54$29.09420
2023$23.44$24.77$30.17590
2024$23.61$24.23$30.14910
2025$21.88$21.88$30.181,080

In today's dollars, the median ironworker wage in Arkansas changed by -12.4% over the last ten years of data and by +0.8% since 2019.

Are there more ironworker jobs in Arkansas?

0.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.9× the US share, 6th of 49 states

BLS counted 1,080 ironworkers in Arkansas in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 11%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for ironworkers in Arkansas

+12.6%Projected growth in Arkansas2024–2034, state agency
90Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
940Jobs in 20241,060 projected for 2034
+3.1%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Arkansas's labor market agency projects the number of ironworkers in the state to change by +12.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 940 to 1,060, with about 90 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.1% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 1,080 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Arkansas labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for ironworkers in Arkansas

On federally funded construction in Arkansas, contractors must pay ironworkers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 55 of the 75 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $49.21 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $19.39). 20 of the 75 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Benton County at $19.39). The market median for the state is $21.88.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ARArkansas: $49.21 (union)Ashley: $49.21 (union)Baxter: $49.21 (union)Benton: $19.39 (survey)Boone: $49.21 (union)Bradley: $49.21 (union)Calhoun: $49.21 (union)Carroll: $49.21 (union)Chicot: $49.21 (union)Clark: $49.21 (union)Clay: $49.21 (union)Cleburne: $49.21 (union)Cleveland: $19.39 (survey)Columbia: $49.21 (union)Conway: $49.21 (union)Craighead: $19.39 (survey)Crawford: $19.39 (survey)Crittenden: $19.39 (survey)Cross: $49.21 (union)Dallas: $49.21 (union)Desha: $49.21 (union)Drew: $49.21 (union)Faulkner: $19.61 (survey)Franklin: $49.21 (union)Fulton: $49.21 (union)Garland: $19.53 (survey)Grant: $19.61 (survey)Greene: $49.21 (union)Hempstead: $49.21 (union)Hot Spring: $49.21 (union)Howard: $49.21 (union)Independence: $49.21 (union)Izard: $49.21 (union)Jackson: $49.21 (union)Jefferson: $19.39 (survey)Johnson: $49.21 (union)Lafayette: $49.21 (union)Lawrence: $49.21 (union)Lee: $49.21 (union)Lincoln: $19.39 (survey)Little River: $19.39 (survey)Logan: $49.21 (union)Lonoke: $19.61 (survey)Madison: $19.39 (survey)Marion: $49.21 (union)Miller: $19.39 (survey)Mississippi: $49.21 (union)Monroe: $49.21 (union)Montgomery: $49.21 (union)Nevada: $49.21 (union)Newton: $49.21 (union)Ouachita: $49.21 (union)Perry: $19.61 (survey)Phillips: $49.21 (union)Pike: $49.21 (union)Poinsett: $19.39 (survey)Polk: $49.21 (union)Pope: $49.21 (union)Prairie: $49.21 (union)Pulaski: $19.84 (survey)Randolph: $49.21 (union)St. Francis: $49.21 (union)Saline: $19.61 (survey)Scott: $49.21 (union)Searcy: $49.21 (union)Sebastian: $19.39 (survey)Sevier: $49.21 (union)Sharp: $49.21 (union)Stone: $49.21 (union)Union: $49.21 (union)Van Buren: $49.21 (union)Washington: $19.39 (survey)White: $49.21 (union)Woodruff: $49.21 (union)Yell: $49.21 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$19.61survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for ironworkers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$18$20$22$24$26/hrGarland (Arkansas): market median $21.88, prevailing (survey) $19.53, gap −$2.35Garland (Arkansas)−$2.35Crawford (Fort Smith): market median $21.74, prevailing (survey) $19.39, gap −$2.35Crawford (Fort Smith)−$2.35Pulaski (Little Rock): market median $22.43, prevailing (survey) $19.84, gap −$2.59Pulaski (Little Rock)−$2.59Benton (Fayetteville): market median $22.79, prevailing (survey) $19.39, gap −$3.40Benton (Fayetteville)−$3.40Crittenden (Memphis): market median $24.23, prevailing (survey) $19.39, gap −$4.84Crittenden (Memphis)−$4.84
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for ironworkers, metro counties in Arkansas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ArkansasUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260018
AshleyUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260018
BaxterUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260019
BooneUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260019
BradleyUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260018
CalhounUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260020
CarrollUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260019
ChicotUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260018
ClarkUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260020
ClayUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260021
CleburneUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260022
ColumbiaUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260020
ConwayUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260019
CrossUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260021
DallasUnion IRON0321-010 2024-08-01$28.00$21.21$49.21AR20260020

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Arkansas prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Arkansas?

68.0kConstruction jobsArkansas, 2026-09
+1.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202568kSep 2026
Construction employment in Arkansas (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Ironworker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Arkansas

More on Arkansas

Questions this page answers

How much do ironworkers make in Arkansas?

The median ironworker in Arkansas earned $21.88 an hour ($45,510 a year) in May 2025, 28% below the national median of $30.18. The middle half earn $17.72–$27.03; the top 10% earn more than $29.55.

Where does Arkansas rank for ironworker pay?

Arkansas ranks 50th of 50 states for ironworker pay, with a median of $21.88 an hour, and 47th after adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living (BEA price parity 86.9, US = 100).

What is the union ironworker rate in Arkansas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for ironworkers in 55 counties, with a typical package of $49.21 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many ironworkers work in Arkansas?

BLS counted 1,080 ironworkers in Arkansas in May 2025, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.88; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is ironworker work growing in Arkansas?

Arkansas's labor market agency projects +12.6% growth for ironworkers between 2024 and 2034, from 940 to 1,060 jobs.

How many ironworker openings a year are there in Arkansas?

Arkansas projects about 90 openings a year for ironworkers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 5,900 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arkansas and metro areas, SOC 47-2221. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Arkansas labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.