Skilled Wages

Plumber salary in Arkansas

Median $23.39 an hour for 3,370 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$23.39/hrMedian hourly wageArkansas, May data
$48,660/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$16.06 – $33.1110th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,370Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Plumber pay in Arkansas: the full range

Wage percentiles, ArkansasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60/hrArkansas: 10th $16.06 · 25th $18.82 · median $23.39 · 75th $29.12 · 90th $33.11Arkansas$23.39$16.06$33.11United States: 10th $21.22 · 25th $24.13 · median $30.67 · 75th $40.92 · 90th $52.13United States$30.67
Hourly wage percentiles for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters: Arkansas vs United States, May 2025.

Arkansas ranks 51st of 51 states for median plumber pay, and 49th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.92). 3,370 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$16.06 – $18.82$33,410 – $39,150roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$18.82 – $29.12$39,150 – $60,580the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.12 – $33.11$60,580 – $68,870the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Plumber pay by metro in Arkansas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrMemphis: $28.22Memphis$28.22Fayetteville: $25.05Fayetteville$25.05Little Rock: $23.65Little Rock$23.65Texarkana: $23.31Texarkana$23.31Fort Smith: $23.24Fort Smith$23.24Jonesboro: $22.61Jonesboro$22.61Hot Springs: $22.51Hot Springs$22.51
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by metro area in Arkansas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Memphis$18.05$28.22$39.431,92021% above
Fayetteville$18.25$25.05$34.738307% above
Little Rock$16.88$23.65$32.958901% above
Texarkana$16.41$23.31$36.35150about the same as
Fort Smith$17.66$23.24$30.062501% below
Jonesboro$15.31$22.61$30.061603% below
Hot Springs$14.63$22.51$30.531404% below

Plumber wages in Arkansas over time

Arkansas, 1999-2025ArkansasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.67United States$23.39Arkansas
Median hourly wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, Arkansas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearArkansas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.05$25.22$17.413,060
2000$14.95$27.95$18.194,350
2001$15.21$27.65$18.613,570
2002$15.72$28.13$19.313,930
2003$15.81$27.66$19.693,620
2004$15.31$26.09$19.852,830
2005$15.80$26.05$20.273,060
2006$15.98$25.52$20.563,070
2007$16.54$25.68$21.203,350
2008$17.44$26.08$21.943,320
2009$17.96$26.95$22.272,840
2010$19.60$28.94$22.432,850
2011$19.22$27.51$22.962,910
2012$19.99$28.03$23.623,100
2013$18.56$25.65$24.133,120
2014$17.76$24.15$24.363,050
2015$17.00$23.09$24.343,040
2016$17.97$24.10$24.742,940
2017$19.20$25.22$25.282,680
2018$19.88$25.49$25.923,130
2019$20.38$25.66$26.523,030
2020$20.16$25.08$27.083,140
2021$21.95$26.08$28.793,090
2022$22.11$24.32$28.892,940
2023$22.82$24.11$29.593,520
2024$23.89$24.52$30.273,080
2025$23.39$23.39$30.673,370

In today's dollars, the median plumber wage in Arkansas changed by +1.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for plumbers in Arkansas

On federally funded construction in Arkansas, contractors must pay plumbers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 16 of the 75 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $50.11 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $23.21). 59 of the 75 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Baxter County at $20.57). The market median for the state is $23.39.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ARArkansas: $50.11 (union)Ashley: $50.11 (union)Baxter: $20.57 (survey)Benton: $25.73 (survey)Boone: $20.57 (survey)Bradley: $50.11 (union)Calhoun: $29.28 (survey)Carroll: $20.57 (survey)Chicot: $50.11 (union)Clark: $29.28 (survey)Clay: $23.21 (survey)Cleburne: $23.21 (survey)Cleveland: $29.81 (survey)Columbia: $29.28 (survey)Conway: $20.57 (survey)Craighead: $25.46 (survey)Crawford: $50.11 (union)Crittenden: $25.46 (survey)Cross: $23.21 (survey)Dallas: $29.28 (survey)Desha: $50.11 (union)Drew: $50.11 (union)Faulkner: $17.35 (survey)Franklin: $20.57 (survey)Fulton: $23.21 (survey)Garland: $50.11 (union)Grant: $50.11 (union)Greene: $23.21 (survey)Hempstead: $29.28 (survey)Hot Spring: $29.28 (survey)Howard: $29.28 (survey)Independence: $23.21 (survey)Izard: $23.21 (survey)Jackson: $23.21 (survey)Jefferson: $29.81 (survey)Johnson: $20.57 (survey)Lafayette: $29.28 (survey)Lawrence: $23.21 (survey)Lee: $23.21 (survey)Lincoln: $29.81 (survey)Little River: $30.15 (survey)Logan: $20.57 (survey)Lonoke: $50.11 (union)Madison: $22.66 (survey)Marion: $20.57 (survey)Miller: $30.15 (survey)Mississippi: $23.21 (survey)Monroe: $23.21 (survey)Montgomery: $29.28 (survey)Nevada: $29.28 (survey)Newton: $20.57 (survey)Ouachita: $29.28 (survey)Perry: $50.11 (union)Phillips: $50.11 (union)Pike: $29.28 (survey)Poinsett: $25.46 (survey)Polk: $20.57 (survey)Pope: $15.62 (survey)Prairie: $50.11 (union)Pulaski: $50.11 (union)Randolph: $23.21 (survey)St. Francis: $23.21 (survey)Saline: $50.11 (union)Scott: $20.57 (survey)Searcy: $20.57 (survey)Sebastian: $50.11 (union)Sevier: $29.28 (survey)Sharp: $23.21 (survey)Stone: $23.21 (survey)Union: $29.28 (survey)Van Buren: $20.57 (survey)Washington: $21.55 (survey)White: $23.21 (survey)Woodruff: $23.21 (survey)Yell: $20.57 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$20.57$23.21$29.28survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for plumbers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$20$30$40$50$60/hrGarland (Hot Springs): market median $22.51, prevailing (union) $50.11, gap +$27.60Garland (Hot Springs)+$27.60Crawford (Fort Smith): market median $23.24, prevailing (union) $50.11, gap +$26.87Crawford (Fort Smith)+$26.87Grant (Little Rock): market median $23.65, prevailing (union) $50.11, gap +$26.46Grant (Little Rock)+$26.46Little River (Texarkana): market median $23.31, prevailing (survey) $30.15, gap +$6.84Little River (Texarkana)+$6.84Craighead (Jonesboro): market median $22.61, prevailing (survey) $25.46, gap +$2.85Craighead (Jonesboro)+$2.85Benton (Fayetteville): market median $25.05, prevailing (survey) $25.73, gap +$0.68Benton (Fayetteville)+$0.68Crittenden (Memphis): market median $28.22, prevailing (survey) $25.46, gap −$2.76Crittenden (Memphis)−$2.76
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for plumbers, metro counties in Arkansas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ArkansasUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
AshleyUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
BradleyUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
ChicotUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
CrawfordUnion PLUM0155-015 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260025
DeshaUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
DrewUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260004
GarlandUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260028
GrantUnion PLUM0155-014 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260037
LonokeUnion PLUM0155-014 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260029
PerryUnion PLUM0155-014 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260037
PhillipsUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
PrairieUnion PLUM0155-012 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260018
PulaskiUnion PLUM0155-014 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260032
SalineUnion PLUM0155-014 2025-08-01$34.41$15.70$50.11AR20260033

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.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just plumbers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Union County222$99,027$1,904
Washington County1,777$71,231$1,370
Pope County165$71,218$1,370
Pulaski County1,608$67,286$1,294
Benton County1,204$63,808$1,227
Saline County790$60,490$1,163
Independence County218$59,914$1,152
Crawford County230$58,705$1,129
Lonoke County365$57,889$1,113
Sebastian County643$57,425$1,104
Grant County76$56,782$1,092
Marion County28$54,922$1,056

Keep comparing

Plumber pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Arkansas

Questions this page answers

How much do plumbers make in Arkansas?

The median plumber in Arkansas earned $23.39 an hour ($48,660 a year) in May 2025, 24% below the national median of $30.67. The middle half earn $18.82–$29.12; the top 10% earn more than $33.11.

Where does Arkansas rank for plumber pay?

Arkansas ranks 51st of 51 states for plumber pay, with a median of $23.39 an hour, and 49th after adjusting for Arkansas's cost of living (BEA price parity 86.9, US = 100).

What is the union plumber rate in Arkansas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for plumbers in 16 counties, with a typical package of $50.11 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many plumbers work in Arkansas?

BLS counted 3,370 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in Arkansas in May 2025, 2.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.86; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arkansas and metro areas, SOC 47-2152.
  • 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.