SOC 47-2211 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Sheet Metal Workers — Arkansas
Arkansas · 5 metro areas compared
Median pay in Arkansas is $45,820 a year, 25.9% under the national median of $61,800 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.4%
- Openings per year
- 10,600
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.5% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Arkansas.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay in Arkansas is $45,820 a year, 25.9% under the national median of $61,800 for this occupation. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $38,440 and $48,260. The lowest tenth earn under $35,800, while the highest tenth earn more than $57,380.
The area has 1,230 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.22 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Arkansas ranks number 50th out of 50 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Little Rock records the highest median at $46,850. Of the 673 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 391st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,800 | −42.1% |
| 25th | $38,440 | −37.8% |
| Median (50th) | $45,820 | −25.9% |
| 75th | $48,260 | −21.9% |
| 90th | $57,380 | −7.2% |
| Mean | $45,800 | −25.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Arkansas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock | $46,850 | 380 | |
| 2 | Fort Smith | $46,210 | 60 | |
| 3 | Fayetteville | $45,650 | 250 | |
| 4 | Jonesboro | $43,260 | 60 | |
| 5 | Hot Springs | $38,980 | 110 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Arkansas run 13.1% below the national average, so the median of $45,820 goes as far as $52,727 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 14.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$45,820as reported by BLSLocal price level
86.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$52,727US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $45,820 a year, 25.9% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,800 to $57,380 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,230 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 50th of 50 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Little Rock, at $46,850.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Sheet Metal Workers in Arkansas?
The median annual wage is $45,820, or $22.03 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $61,800, so pay in Arkansas is 25.9% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Arkansas earns more than $57,380 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,800 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Little Rock, at $46,850 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,230 jobs in this occupation in Arkansas. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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