Statewide pay Government data
Electrical lineworkers in Arkansas earn a statewide median of $81,450 a year, 16% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #40 of 50 states and DC. About 1,510 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Arkansas
See all states on the electrical lineworkers nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes electrical lineworker pay for 4 Arkansas metros: Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro and Little Rock.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little RockARKANSAS · AR | $106,960 | $119,690 | 350 |
| Fort SmithARKANSAS · AR | $94,800 | $110,376 | 70 |
| JonesboroARKANSAS · AR | $88,360 | $102,893 | 70 |
| FayettevilleARKANSAS · AR | $78,430 | $85,854 | 190 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Arkansas's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,900 openings a year. Typical training: long-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, electrical lineworkers have 177 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.0× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is overexertion and repetitive strain.
What the work is like Government data
How often electrical lineworkers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of electrical lineworker apprentices in Arkansas who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 72% completed (U.S.: 68%), about 24 graduates a year. The typical program runs 8,000 hours, about 4 years of full-time work. Union programs had a 80% completion rate, compared with 54% for non-union programs.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Serious injuries & deaths reported to OSHA Government data
From 2015 to 2024, electric power distribution companies in Arkansas filed 16 severe injury reports (a hospital stay, amputation or loss of an eye), 4 of them involving an amputation. The most common cause was contact with objects and equipment (50% of reports). These cover everyone at those employers, not only electrical lineworkers.
OSHA Severe Injury Reports, January 2015–December 2024 (states under federal OSHA only).
Where to train in Arkansas Government data
5 schools in Arkansas offer electrical and power line installer programs below the bachelor's level. Many people in this trade learn through an apprenticeship instead; a program can shorten it or get you hired as a helper.
| School | Credential | Yearly cost | Recent grads | First-year pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College North Little Rock, AR · Public | Certificate | $17,913 | 39 | — |
| Arkansas State University-Newport Newport, AR · Public | Certificate | $17,253 | 31 | $72,039 |
| Arkansas State University Three Rivers Malvern, AR · Public | Certificate | $16,130 | 21 | — |
| Arkansas State University Three Rivers Malvern, AR · Public | Associate degree | $16,130 | 0 | — |
| NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville, AR · Public | Certificate | $10,261 | 0 | — |
| Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas De Queen, AR · Public | Certificate | $10,109 | — | — |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (data updated October 2026). Cost is the school's average yearly cost of attendance before financial aid; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, shown only where the school has enough graduates to publish. “—” means not published.
Licensing in Arkansas Official source
The main state licensing office in Arkansas is the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. Home of the Contractors Licensing Board; some trades are licensed by other state agencies. It can point you to the right license for electrical lineworkers.
Official Arkansas licensing site ↗
Requirements for electrical lineworkers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 2.8% of wage and salary workers in Arkansas were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#48 of 51 states and D.C.), and 3.5% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only electrical lineworkers.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in Arkansas
All trades in Arkansas.