HVAC technician salary in Arkansas
HVAC technicians in Arkansas earn a median $23.13 an hour ($48,110 a year), 21% below the US median of $29.33 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most earn between $17.81 and $33.31. That ranks Arkansas the lowest of the 50 states and DC by median pay; Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers pays the most of its metros at $25.78.
$23.13
Median hourly pay
21% below the US
$48,110
Median annual pay
$46,410 after state income tax
4,960
HVAC techs employed
3.8 per 1,000 jobs
Pay in Arkansas, from entry level to the top
BLS counts 4,960 HVAC mechanics and installers on Arkansas payrolls. Pay is tightly bunched: even the best-paid tenth ($33.31 and up) earn under twice what the lowest-paid tenth do ($17.81). The average, $24.59, sits above the median: a smaller group of high earners pulls it up.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | US hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $17.81 | $37,040 | $19.25 |
| 25th | $20.59 | $42,830 | $23.25 |
| Median | $23.13 | $48,110 | $29.33 |
| 75th | $28.73 | $59,760 | $37.05 |
| 90th (top tenth) | $33.31 | $69,290 | $45.78 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Annual pay is hourly × 2,080 hours.
How Arkansas compares
The $23.13 median is 21% below the national figure and ranks the lowest of the 50 states and DC. HVAC work is unusually common here: 3.8 of every 1,000 jobs, 44% above the national share. The median worker in Arkansas, across every occupation, earns $20.98 an hour, so HVAC pays 10% more than the local norm. See every state on the US HVAC technician salary page.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Across Arkansas's metro areas
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers pays the most ($25.78 an hour) and Hot Springs the least ($22.42), a gap of $3.36. Outside the metros, 4 nonmetropolitan areas report $22.96, $22.53, $22.07 and $21.83.
| Area | Median hourly | HVAC techs |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $25.78 | 1,240 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $23.16 | 410 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $23.08 | 1,470 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $22.96 | 340 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $22.71 | 170 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $22.53 | 310 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $22.42 | 150 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $22.07 | 520 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $21.83 | 180 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Areas with fewer than 100 techs are rough estimates.
What an hour of HVAC work costs in Arkansas
A tech at the Arkansas median earns $23.13 an hour. Our price model bills that hour at about $89 here ($59–$118), 21% below the national $113, because local HVAC wages are that much lower.
Of each $89 billed, about $23 is the technician's wage. The other $66 pays for payroll taxes and benefits, insurance, the truck and tools, drive and training time nobody is billed for, and the shop's margin.
Take a typical Arkansas AC repair at $340: about $195 of it is labor, the equivalent of 2.2 billed hours, and the technician's own pay for that time comes to roughly $51.
- AC repair cost in Arkansas: typical $340, of which $195 is labor
- Furnace repair cost in Arkansas: typical $290, of which $194 is labor
- Heat pump repair cost in Arkansas: typical $360, of which $195 is labor
- HVAC tune-up cost in Arkansas: typical $130, of which $130 is labor
Every other local price, wage and climate figure: HVAC prices in Arkansas.
Source: wages, BLS OEWS May 2025; billable rate, HomeGuide HVAC repair costs (2026) scaled by local HVAC wages; repair prices, HVACFIND Price Index 2026Q4.2 (model estimates for a 1,500–2,500 sq ft home).
After state tax and local prices
Arkansas's graduated income tax (top rate 3.9%) takes about $1,700 of the $48,110 median, leaving $46,410, or 96% of gross. That leaves Arkansas 50th of 51 after state tax.
Prices in Arkansas run 13% below the US average (BEA regional price parities, 2024), so the $48,110 median buys what $55,337 would nationally. On that measure Arkansas ranks 47th of 51.
Source: state income tax at 2026 rates, single filer, standard deduction; federal income tax, FICA and city taxes left out. Price parities: BEA, 2024.
Other trades in Arkansas
Next to HVAC techs in Arkansas, electricians earn $0.46 more an hour and plumbers earn $0.26 more an hour. HVAC out-earns three of the five related trades listed.
| Occupation | Median hourly | vs HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians (Arkansas) | $23.13 | — |
| Electricians | $23.59 | +$0.46 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $23.39 | +$0.26 |
| Sheet metal workers | $22.03 | −$1.10 |
| Home appliance repairers | $18.60 | −$4.53 |
| Maintenance and repair workers | $20.87 | −$2.26 |
| All occupations | $20.98 | −$2.15 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing and training in Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, HVACR Licensing Board licenses HVAC contractors across Arkansas; the relevant classes are HVACR licenses Class A-E and L (scope/tonnage limits set by board).
Refrigerant work also needs EPA Section 608 certification. BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award, usually a certificate from a trade school or community college program, as the typical way in, followed by long-term on-the-job training, which BLS defines as more than 12 months. No prior work experience is required. How to check an HVAC contractor's license in Arkansas.
Source: HVACFIND licensing list, checked 2026-09-30 (confirm with the board before relying on it); BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035.
Questions
How much do HVAC technicians make in Arkansas?
A median $23.13 an hour, or $48,110 a year, across 4,960 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The lowest-paid tenth earn under $17.81 and the top tenth over $33.31.
Where in Arkansas do HVAC technicians earn the most?
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers has the highest median ($25.78 an hour) and Hot Springs the lowest ($22.42), among the 5 Arkansas metros with their own BLS estimate.
How much HVAC pay is left after Arkansas income tax?
Arkansas's graduated income tax (top rate 3.9%) takes about $1,700 of the $48,110 median, leaving $46,410, or 96% of gross. This uses 2026 rates for a single filer with the standard deduction; federal income tax and FICA are not included.
Do you need a license for HVAC work in Arkansas?
Contractors do. Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, HVACR Licensing Board licenses HVAC contractors across Arkansas; the relevant classes are HVACR licenses Class A-E and L (scope/tonnage limits set by board). Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA Section 608 certification.
What does an hour of HVAC labor cost in Arkansas?
About $89 in our price model ($59–$118), which scales national billable rates by Arkansas HVAC wages. A typical AC repair here runs $340, $195 of it labor.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: HVAC mechanics and installers (49-9021)
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035
- O*NET 31.0: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- EPA Section 608 technician certification
- HomeGuide: HVAC repair cost and hourly rates (2026)
- Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, HVACR Licensing Board: license lookup
Second opinion
Get one fair quote from a licensed local pro
Tell us the job and when suits you. We confirm by phone or text, then pass your request to one licensed contractor who covers your ZIP. Nobody else gets your number.
- We confirm the job before anyone calls you
- One contractor, never a bidding list
- License checked with the state
- Free for homeowners