Skilled Wages

Painter salary in Arkansas

Median $19.28 an hour for 890 painters, construction and maintenance, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$19.28/hrMedian hourly wageArkansas, May data
$40,090/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$14.97 – $26.2610th to 90th percentilehourly range
890Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Painter pay in Arkansas: the full range

Wage percentiles, ArkansasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrArkansas: 10th $14.97 · 25th $17.76 · median $19.28 · 75th $22.85 · 90th $26.26Arkansas$19.28$14.97$26.26United States: 10th $18.00 · 25th $21.46 · median $23.75 · 75th $29.65 · 90th $37.89United States$23.75
Hourly wage percentiles for painters, construction and maintenance: Arkansas vs United States, May 2025.

Arkansas ranks 51st of 51 states for median painter pay, and 48th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.19). 890 painters, construction and maintenance work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$14.97 – $17.76$31,150 – $36,940roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$17.76 – $22.85$36,940 – $47,520the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$22.85 – $26.26$47,520 – $54,610the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Painter pay by metro in Arkansas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrTexarkana: $22.74Texarkana$22.74Little Rock: $21.47Little Rock$21.47Memphis: $21.45Memphis$21.45Fort Smith: $18.98Fort Smith$18.98Fayetteville: $18.79Fayetteville$18.79
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance by metro area in Arkansas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Texarkana$15.97$22.74$30.7813018% above
Little Rock$14.09$21.47$26.2625011% above
Memphis$17.61$21.45$30.4159011% above
Fort Smith$16.05$18.98$24.80502% below
Fayetteville$15.43$18.79$27.393303% below

Painter wages in Arkansas over time

Arkansas, 1999-2025ArkansasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$23.75United States$19.28Arkansas
Median hourly wage for painters, construction and maintenance, Arkansas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearArkansas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.35$21.93$12.861,660
2000$11.06$20.68$13.101,460
2001$11.45$20.81$13.661,350
2002$11.76$21.05$13.981,420
2003$11.76$20.58$14.121,300
2004$12.04$20.52$14.551,080
2005$12.11$19.96$14.811,070
2006$12.87$20.55$15.001,260
2007$13.74$21.33$15.421,350
2008$14.36$21.47$15.851,460
2009$14.48$21.73$16.211,210
2010$14.80$21.85$16.481,120
2011$15.47$22.14$17.041,040
2012$14.47$20.29$16.921,130
2013$14.42$19.93$17.011,030
2014$14.95$20.33$17.291,060
2015$15.51$21.07$17.591,090
2016$15.91$21.34$18.061,340
2017$16.29$21.40$18.251,280
2018$16.38$21.00$18.721,140
2019$17.36$21.86$19.371,200
2020$17.67$21.98$20.251,080
2021$17.78$21.12$21.92750
2022$18.25$20.08$22.16750
2023$18.34$19.38$22.94780
2024$18.47$18.96$23.40910
2025$19.28$19.28$23.75890

In today's dollars, the median painter wage in Arkansas changed by -8.5% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for painters in Arkansas

On federally funded construction in Arkansas, contractors must pay painters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 75 of the 75 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $26.67 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $19.28.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ARArkansas: $26.67 (union)Ashley: $26.67 (union)Baxter: $26.67 (union)Benton: $26.67 (union)Boone: $26.67 (union)Bradley: $26.67 (union)Calhoun: $26.67 (union)Carroll: $26.67 (union)Chicot: $26.67 (union)Clark: $26.67 (union)Clay: $26.67 (union)Cleburne: $26.67 (union)Cleveland: $26.67 (union)Columbia: $26.67 (union)Conway: $26.67 (union)Craighead: $26.67 (union)Crawford: $26.67 (union)Crittenden: $26.67 (union)Cross: $26.67 (union)Dallas: $26.67 (union)Desha: $26.67 (union)Drew: $26.67 (union)Faulkner: $26.67 (union)Franklin: $26.67 (union)Fulton: $26.67 (union)Garland: $26.67 (union)Grant: $26.67 (union)Greene: $26.67 (union)Hempstead: $26.67 (union)Hot Spring: $26.67 (union)Howard: $26.67 (union)Independence: $26.67 (union)Izard: $26.67 (union)Jackson: $26.67 (union)Jefferson: $26.67 (union)Johnson: $26.67 (union)Lafayette: $26.67 (union)Lawrence: $26.67 (union)Lee: $26.67 (union)Lincoln: $26.67 (union)Little River: $26.67 (union)Logan: $26.67 (union)Lonoke: $26.67 (union)Madison: $26.67 (union)Marion: $26.67 (union)Miller: $26.67 (union)Mississippi: $26.67 (union)Monroe: $26.67 (union)Montgomery: $26.67 (union)Nevada: $26.67 (union)Newton: $26.67 (union)Ouachita: $26.67 (union)Perry: $26.67 (union)Phillips: $26.67 (union)Pike: $26.67 (union)Poinsett: $26.67 (union)Polk: $26.67 (union)Pope: $26.67 (union)Prairie: $26.67 (union)Pulaski: $26.67 (union)Randolph: $26.67 (union)St. Francis: $26.67 (union)Saline: $26.67 (union)Scott: $26.67 (union)Searcy: $26.67 (union)Sebastian: $26.67 (union)Sevier: $26.67 (union)Sharp: $26.67 (union)Stone: $26.67 (union)Union: $26.67 (union)Van Buren: $26.67 (union)Washington: $26.67 (union)White: $26.67 (union)Woodruff: $26.67 (union)Yell: $26.67 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for painters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$17.50$20$22.50$25$27.50/hrBenton (Fayetteville): market median $18.79, prevailing (union) $26.67, gap +$7.88Benton (Fayetteville)+$7.88Crawford (Fort Smith): market median $18.98, prevailing (union) $26.67, gap +$7.69Crawford (Fort Smith)+$7.69Craighead (Arkansas): market median $19.28, prevailing (union) $26.67, gap +$7.39Craighead (Arkansas)+$7.39Crittenden (Memphis): market median $21.45, prevailing (union) $26.67, gap +$5.22Crittenden (Memphis)+$5.22Faulkner (Little Rock): market median $21.47, prevailing (union) $26.67, gap +$5.20Faulkner (Little Rock)+$5.20Little River (Texarkana): market median $22.74, prevailing (union) $26.67, gap +$3.93Little River (Texarkana)+$3.93
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for painters, metro counties in Arkansas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ArkansasUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260018
AshleyUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260018
BaxterUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260019
BentonUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260023
BooneUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260019
BradleyUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260018
CalhounUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260020
CarrollUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260019
ChicotUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260018
ClarkUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260020
ClayUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260021
CleburneUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260022
ClevelandUnion PAIN0424-009 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260036
ColumbiaUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260020
ConwayUnion PAIN0424-008 2021-07-01$16.25$10.42$26.67AR20260019

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. 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?

68.3kConstruction jobsArkansas, 2026-08
+2.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k1990199520002005201020152020202568kAug 2026
Construction employment in Arkansas (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Painter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Arkansas

Questions this page answers

How much do painters make in Arkansas?

The median painter in Arkansas earned $19.28 an hour ($40,090 a year) in May 2025, 19% below the national median of $23.75. The middle half earn $17.76–$22.85; the top 10% earn more than $26.26.

Where does Arkansas rank for painter pay?

Arkansas ranks 51st of 51 states for painter pay, with a median of $19.28 an hour, and 48th after adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living (BEA price parity 86.9, US = 100).

What is the union painter rate in Arkansas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for painters in 75 counties, with a typical package of $26.67 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many painters work in Arkansas?

BLS counted 890 painters, construction and maintenance in Arkansas in May 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.47; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arkansas and metro areas, SOC 47-2141.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.